This is not a new policy. The implementation of full disk encryption has been underway for some time. We are doing laptops first, then desktops. The current fire drill is because a laptop with PII was stolen at NASA HQ and it was one that had not yet had full disk encryption installed.

NASA IT staff are as overworked and under appreciated as anywhere. If NASA had wanted full disk encryption done sooner, they could have added the resources to make it happen. And that would have taken resources from missions, like Curiosity and the James Webb telescope. It's all about priorities.

I remember 300 baud modems. Cool that one still works today. The oldest operating bit of technology in my house is my 120 year old Seth Thomas kitchen clock, which is currently being cleaned, but I use it daily.

I've had "DEV CAR" in Maryland for over twenty years. It's on its third car, which I call DEV CAR 3.0.