File Share Encryption

I am an enterprise user running OSX 10.9.4 and using Symantec Desktop for WDE.

My complaint is that since using WDE I am unable to encrypt external media using Apple's Disk Utility. If I try to do so then the drive refuses to mount during the encryption process and I end up having to format it via Terminal.

I have successfully encrypted USB sticks using Symantec Desktop, however, Symantec Desktop will not recognise my Samsung M3 2TB external hard disk. The size of the external drive does not appear to be an issue since it will not recognise it if I create two 1GB partitions either.

Can someone help explain why this is happening and how I can resolve it?

Also - I don't understand why Symantec haven't released an upgrade for Yosemite yet. It was released in mid-October and testing/development versions have been around since June. When can I expect an update?

Hi mfgvx24,

Could you please confirm the Symantec Desktop version that you are using to encrypt the 2 TB external drive?

Yosemite is supported in 10.3.2. MP6, below is the article for the same.

Symantec Encryption Desktop 10.3.2 MP6 is Now Available

www.symantec.com/docs/AL1620

Thanks for the reply. I am using 10.3.2 MP4.

Hi mfgvx24,

2 Tb external drive support is still a feature request with Symantec.

Feature Request: Support for drives 2 TB in size or Larger with Symantec Drive Encryption (previously PGP Whole Disk Encryption)

www.symantec.com/docs/TECH200099

Okay, but the disk still isn't visible when I create smaller partitions (e.g. 2x 1TB). Why is that?

Also - why can't I encrypt external drives using Disk Utility? As I explained, if I try to do this then the disk refuses to mount during the encryption process and I am forced to format it using Terminal.

A feature request since 2012? Come on!

Hi mfgvxb24,

You can try Workaround solution:

Repartition the drive to NTFS and make at least two smaller partitions. These must be smaller than 1.8 TB in size independently. I would recommend making the partitions smaller than 1.5 TB in size

Since its Mac OS and Mac OS X does not recognize NTFS partition, I would suggest you to test it with MS-DOS (FAT) partition and then try encrypting with Symantec Encryption Desktop.

As for the part of filevault not encrypting the HD, I suspect Symantec Encryption WDE drivers might be conflicting with Filevault drivers. 

Thanks, but I've tried the 'workaround' and as I mention above it doesn't help. Neither of the two partitions appears in the list of disks which I can encrypt from Symantec Desktop. What should I do in this situation?

As to the second issue - where in the release documentation does it say that I won't be able to encrypt external drives using Disk Utility? What is the nature of the conflict between the WDE drivers and the FileVault drivers? In what way are the FileVault Drivers relevant to Disk Utility? Why can I decrypt Disk Utility-encrypted external media, but not encrypt external media using Disk Utility? Why can I still create an encrypted disk image using Disk Utility? Has this incompatibility (if it be one) been documented before and, if so, what is being done to address it?

There has been multiple incompatibility issues noted and documented with FileVault and Symantec Encryption, and addressed on per issue basis.

Be it filevault or disk utility we need encryption drivers for encrypting a disk or a partition.

I assume since both are part of Mac OS X, they share same drivers. I am not actually sure on this, but you can verify with Apple whether they share same encryption drivers or use different drivers.

You can also open a support case with Symantec if you need further assitance.