System and method for pre-operating system encryption and decryption of data

Systems and methods for reducing problems and disadvantages associated with traditional approaches to encryption and decryption of data are provided. An information handling system may include a processor, a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, an encryption accelerator communicatively coupled to the processor, and a computer-readable medium communicatively coupled to the processor. The encryption accelerator may be configured to encrypt or decrypt data in response to a command from the processor to perform an encryption or decryption task upon data associated with an input/output operation. The computer-readable medium may have instructions stored thereon, the instructions configured to, when executed by the processor: (i) monitor for input/output operations occurring prior to loading of an operating system into the memory; and (ii) in response to detection of an input/output operation, communicate a command to the encryption accelerator to perform an encryption or decryption task upon data associated with an input/output operation.