What is a common method used to protect data at rest using encryption, often seen in Microsoft environments?

BitLocker is a widely used encryption feature in Microsoft environments that protects data at rest by encrypting entire drives. This technology helps secure sensitive information stored on the hard drive, making it inaccessible without the appropriate authentication credentials. By applying full disk encryption, BitLocker ensures that even if the physical drive is removed from the device, the data remains unreadable without the decryption key.

In contrast, TLS and IPSec are protocols primarily focused on securing data in transit rather than at rest. TLS secures data transferred over networks, safeguarding it during communication, while IPSec is utilized for securing Internet Protocol communications by encrypting and authenticating data packets. AES, on the other hand, is an encryption algorithm commonly used for various encryption tasks, including applications and protocols, but it does not specifically refer to a method for protecting data at rest, as BitLocker does. Thus, BitLocker stands out as the solution explicitly designed for the security of data at rest in Microsoft environments.