Which type of encryption applies only to a portion of a hard drive?

Volume encryption is designed to secure specific segments or portions of a hard drive, such as individual partitions or volumes. This method allows organizations to apply encryption to specific areas of storage without needing to encrypt the entire disk.

Volume encryption is particularly useful when there are different requirements for data confidentiality across various segments of a storage device. For example, users may want sensitive data to be encrypted while leaving less sensitive data unencrypted. This approach can also optimize performance compared to full disk encryption, which encrypts all data on the drive regardless of its sensitivity.

While other forms of encryption such as full disk encryption apply to an entire drive, file-level encryption targets individual files, and database encryption secures specific databases or database instances, volume encryption is uniquely focused on designated areas of a hard drive, making it ideal for partial data protection.