PGP Desktop

PGP Desktop Encryption, licensed through Symantec, provides easy to use and secure encryption to protect sensitive data on laptops or PCs. Laptops are easily lost, and even desktop computers can be stolen. PGP Desktop Encryption also includes a secure shredder, to really delete files you want to delete.

AVAILABLE TO: Faculty | Graduate Students | Staff

FUNDED BY: Basic Bundle

Common Questions

The UIC license for PGP Desktop centers on PGP Whole-Drive Encryption, which securely encrypts the entire contents of your laptop or desktop, including boot sectors, system, and swap files. After you install PGP Desktop on your computer it will automatically encrypt the hard drive. After your hard disk is encrypted, you must log in to Symantec before you can boot the computer with a passphrase that you create. Operating system login bypass tricks won’t work. PGP Desktop offers:

  • Encryption for all files and folders stored on your personal computer
  • Digital signatures for any of the above, which prove both the origin of the material and that it has not been altered
  • “PGP Shredder”, a secure delete program that completely deletes files by overwriting the data you want to delete with random text multiple times. In contrast, a normal file deletion done by an operating system only removes a file’s name from the disk directory; its data remains on the disk until something else is written over it

PGP User Guides

Download PGP User Guides from Symantec

Requirements

A computer will need to meet the system requirements in order to run PGP Desktop.

System: Note that the operating system requirements for the installers we have at UIC may be slightly different from those listed there on Symantec’s page. Specifically, the newest operating systems currently supported are Windows 10 (version 1809) and macOS 10.14 (Mojave).

For Windows machines, please see the following page for system requirements and compatibility for the latest version of the client (10.4.2 MP1):   http://symantec.com/docs/TECH248332

For machines running MacOS, please see the following page for requirements and compatibility for the latest version of the client (10.4.2 MP1 HF1):   http://symantec.com/docs/TECH248333

NOTE:  Older Symantec Mac clients (10.4.0 or earlier) are not compatible with CoreStorage. If you are using Symantec client version 10.4.0 or earlier and have upgraded to OS X 10.10 from an earlier version, you may need to disable “CoreStorage”.  New installations should have this feature disabled by default. To disable CoreStorage, please follow the steps found here: https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.HOWTO109622.html .  Also, if using a version 10.4.0 client with OS X 10.11 “El Capitan”, the SIP feature must first be disabled. Please see the following link for instructions on how to disable this feature: https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.TECH235027.html .

Client: The oldest Symantec client software that we still support is version 10.4.  To download the latest version please visit the U of I WebStore.

The ACCC is running a Symantec Encryption Management Server, in which your Symantec key is protected with your UIC Active Directory ID and password, which is your UIC NetID and your ACCC common password.

A typical computer using Symantec will need two things both available for no charge through the online Webstore:

  • Symantec Encryption Management Server license, 1 per person
  • Symantec Encryption Desktop, 1 per machine
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1007 West Harrison Street, Behavioral Sciences Building (BSB), Learning Center, First Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60607
Phone: (312) 413-0003

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Service Owner: Ed Zawacki