Encryption Software Recommendation
Folks,
I am looking for a simple FILE encryption program and wonder if you can help.
Basically, we scan in all our confidential documents - e.g. bank statements, bills etc. We then store them on our HD.
In the past we have used a program called Folder Crypt, however we have since purchased a new PC (Vista 64 bit) and it does not work.
The key thing that we are looking for is SIMPLE. I.e. Encrypt a folder and a file like statements.crypt is created and the original ones are securely deleted. We are not looking for a program that creates an image etc. This is key as we use a web tool to backup our data. If we were to go down the image option, it would mean a large backup every night. Instead using the folder option, only the folder (e.g. Lloyds Bank Statements) that have changed are updated.
Also we are not looking for any wide ranging hard drive encryption.
Any ideas?
regards
A.
I am looking for a simple FILE encryption program and wonder if you can help.
Basically, we scan in all our confidential documents - e.g. bank statements, bills etc. We then store them on our HD.
In the past we have used a program called Folder Crypt, however we have since purchased a new PC (Vista 64 bit) and it does not work.
The key thing that we are looking for is SIMPLE. I.e. Encrypt a folder and a file like statements.crypt is created and the original ones are securely deleted. We are not looking for a program that creates an image etc. This is key as we use a web tool to backup our data. If we were to go down the image option, it would mean a large backup every night. Instead using the folder option, only the folder (e.g. Lloyds Bank Statements) that have changed are updated.
Also we are not looking for any wide ranging hard drive encryption.
Any ideas?
regards
A.
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TrueCrypt is good, and overall I'd recommend it, it's pretty simple also.
Simpler still I'd say is 7zip compression utility. http://www.7-zip.org/download.html
You can opt to use various degrees of compression, and even none at all. Supports creating Zip (very universal), bz2, gzip and 7z. 7z typically compresses better than all others. You can also encrypt the Zip and 7zip archives with 256-bit AES encryption. The zip files can be unzipped without the need to install software on any XP or later OS if you use the older "zipcrypto" encryption method. To unzip the stronger 256-AES zip file, you need winzip or other winzip type of utility. Windows natively only supports the weaker zipcrypto.
The 256-bit encryption is very strong for both zip and 7zip archives. The longer the password the better. The 7zip archive can also encrypt your file names, so no one can tell what files are in the archive because the names are all encrypted also.
7zip is open-source and free like TrueCrypt is. 7zip also understands many archives, it can extract self-extracting exe's, .cab's .rar, and more!
-rich
Simpler still I'd say is 7zip compression utility. http://www.7-zip.org/download.html
You can opt to use various degrees of compression, and even none at all. Supports creating Zip (very universal), bz2, gzip and 7z. 7z typically compresses better than all others. You can also encrypt the Zip and 7zip archives with 256-bit AES encryption. The zip files can be unzipped without the need to install software on any XP or later OS if you use the older "zipcrypto" encryption method. To unzip the stronger 256-AES zip file, you need winzip or other winzip type of utility. Windows natively only supports the weaker zipcrypto.
The 256-bit encryption is very strong for both zip and 7zip archives. The longer the password the better. The 7zip archive can also encrypt your file names, so no one can tell what files are in the archive because the names are all encrypted also.
7zip is open-source and free like TrueCrypt is. 7zip also understands many archives, it can extract self-extracting exe's, .cab's .rar, and more!
-rich
for single files You can use PGP.
You also can encrypt files using zip/rar/7zip - just use password protected archive.