Folder Encryption Software

 admin

AES Crypt is a file encryption software available on several operating systems that uses the industry standard Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) to easily and securely encrypt files. You do not need to be an expert to use AES Crypt, nor do you need to understand cryptography. List of free top best USB encryption software 2019 free download best pendrive protection software for PC windows xp 7 8 10 Linux mac tool flashdrive lock password. Conjurers Encrypter 4 is a free file encryption software that lets you encrypt your files and folders, in order to prevent any authorized access of the private and confidential data. This free file encryption software lets you encrypt various types of files, which can be text files, media files, images, documents, setup files, and much more.

  1. Folder Encryption Software Windows 7
  2. Folder Encryption Software Windows 7 Free Download
  3. Folder Encryption Software Windows
  4. Windows Folder Encryption Software
  5. Folder Encryption Software Windows 7
  6. Best Free Encryption Software
  7. Best Folder Encryption Software Mac

If you're looking for a simple way to keep files and folders private on your Windows computer, you have several options right in front of you. Thanks to the Microsoft Office Suite, you can use a built-in encryption feature to password-protect Office files, such as Word documents or PowerPoint presentations.

Some Windows operating systems also come with Encrypting File System (EFS), which lets you encrypt any kind of file, as well as whole folders and subfolders. Note, however, that EFS is only available for Windows 10 Pro, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 8 Pro or Windows 8 Enterprise. Users with a Home edition of Windows will need to use either Office Suite encryption or a third-party solution, such as TrueCrypt, VeraCrypt or 7-Zip.

Folder Encryption Software Windows 7

To set up your Windows encryption, you'll want to follow these step-by-step instructions.

MORE: Best Password Managers

Before You Start

Before you start altering your files, there are some tips you need to keep in mind.

  • Anything can be decrypted if you're targeted by a savvy enough, or well-financed foe. You might want to find a paid solution if your files are truly valuable.
  • Files encrypted using the below methods can still be deleted, so you might want to have a backup on a secondary location.
  • If you lose your passwords, you've lost your files forever. So, again, keep an unencrypted backup on a physical drive somewhere safe where it won't be found.

How to Encrypt Files Using Microsoft Office

This process encrypts individual files compatible with Microsoft Office applications such as Word, PowerPoint or Excel. Once you encrypt a file this way, you'll need to reopen it in Microsoft Office; you won't be able to open it in Google Docs, Adobe Reader or LibreOffice. These steps work for all up-to-date versions of Office, across Windows 7 and Windows 10.

1. Open a Microsoft Office program and click Open Other Documents.

2. Click Browse.

3. Select a file you want to encrypt and click Open.

Pokkiri

4. Click the File tab at the top of the page.

5. Click 'Protect Document' on the left side.

3. Select Encrypt with Password from the pop-up menu.

4. Enter a password for the file. You'll be prompted to re-enter the same password, then click OK. After you exit this file, you'll have to enter the same password to reopen it. Be sure to store this password in a separate, safe place.

How to Delete Temporary Files

You're not quite done yet, though. One of the flaws with Microsoft Office's encryption is that unencrypted versions of recently opened files might still be stored in your computer's temporary memory. You'll want to go clear that out after you've encrypted a file.

1. Click the Start button.

2. Type 'Disk Cleanup' into the text field and select Disk Cleanup.

3. Wait for the loading bar to complete, it's calculating how many files it will be able to delete.

4. After the window 'Disk Cleanup for OS (C:) appears, check the box next to 'Temporary files' (you may need to scroll down) and click OK.

5. A new pop-up window will appear asking you to confirm the deletion. Click Delete Files.

6. You’ll see a new pop-up window (pictured below) with a loading bar running as your files are deleted. Once it's finished, the window will disappear and the temporary files are gone.

How to Encrypt Files on Windows using Encrypting File System (EFS)

EFS works by letting you apply encryption to already-existing files or folders in your file system. You can still edit or modify these files or folders following the encryption process. With EFS you won't notice any change in the way you access your files; all you have to do is log in to your Windows account at startup and the files will be accessible. However, this means that you need to pick a strong, difficult-to-guess password for your Windows user account. Note: Step 7 is time-sensitive, so make sure to click the 'Back up your file encryption key' prompt after confirming attribute changes in step 6. Missing that prompt means you'll need to start over again.

1. Right-click on the file or folder you wish to encrypt.

2. Click Properties selection at the bottom of the menu.

3. Click Advanced under the General tab. This will bring up a second pop-up window entitled Advanced Attributes.

4. Check 'Encrypt contents to secure data.'

5. Click OK.

AIWA CXND77 Owner's Manual. With this manual You'll learn how to set up and use Your AIWA CXND77. The manual describes functions of CXND77, tells how to use it correctly and includes instructions on maintanance. Owner's manual usually has installation instructions, set up guide, adjustment tips, trubleshooting guide and specification sheet. Aiwa cx-nd77. Audio manuals and audio service pdf instructions. Find the user manual you need for your audio device and more at ManualsOnline. View & download of more than 3832 Aiwa PDF user manuals, service manuals, operating guides. Stereo system user manuals, operating guides & specifications. Feb 28, 2012  SOURCE: AIWA products. Download User Manual for Aiwa NSX-AJ50 Hi-Fi system. Sony owned Aiwa few years back and you can see NSX-AJ50 page on Sony Support. If you have Aiwa part Query, please contact nearest Sony Service center. Posted on Oct 04, 2008. Aiwa High Quality Service Manuals Schematics User Owner Instruction Manuals print reprint reproduction PDF FREE classic vintage audio stereo. Aiwa Service Manuals User Manuals Printed Reproductions. Aiwa: CX-ND77: CD Casseiver: Service: See NSX-D77: Used.

6. Click Apply.

7. Choose how extensive you want the encryption to be, click OK. You can choose to encrypt just that folder, or to encrypt all of the folder's subfolders and files. We recommend the latter. Whichever you choose, click that option and then press OK.

8. Make sure to click the 'Back up your file encryption key' pop-up message before it disappears. If you miss the pop-up message, you'll need to restart your machine and try again.

The computer creates an encryption key using an encryption certificate provided by Microsoft. Now your file or folder is encrypted, you won't need a password to access it other than the password you use to sign into your Windows profile when you turn the computer on.

How to Back Up Your Encryption Key

You should back up that encryption key to a separate device, because if that key is ever lost or damaged, you won't be able to access your encrypted files. The easiest method is with an external USB drive, so plug one into your PC before starting.

1. Click the option 'Back up now (recommended).'

Folder Encryption Software Windows 7 Free Download

2. Click Next.

3. Click Next again.

4. Check the box next to Password, enter your password twice and click Next.

5. Click Browse.

6. Navigate to a directory, such as a USB drive, name your encryption key and click save.

7. Click Next.

8. Click Finish.

9. Click OK, now eject your USB drive (or wherever you stored the file) and keep it somewhere safe where you'll remember it.

How good are Windows' encryption services?

Folder Encryption Software Windows

Windows' built-in encryption isn't a perfect solution. If you encrypt a single file, the computer stores an unencrypted version of that file in its temporary memory, so a savvy snoop can still access it.

It's fairly easy for an attacker to break Windows encryption using a brute-force attack, which is when an attacker uses a program that methodically guesses every possible combination of letters and numbers, starting with common passwords.

MORE: Your Router's Security Stinks: Here's How to Fix It

If you're very serious about security and privacy, you might not trust a Microsoft solution. The FBI and NSA can require U.S. companies to hand over data or encryption keys. For those reasons, we suggest using a free third-party service, such as TrueCrypt, its successor VeraCrypt or WinZip.

Encrypt Everything!

Did you ever pass secret, coded messages as a kid? There's a certain thrill in knowing that nobody else can read your communication, even if the content is as banal as 'Johnny love Jane.' That's just fun, but when the content is significant, like a contract or a patent application, keeping unauthorized types from seeing it is essential. That's where encryption comes in. When you keep all your sensitive documents encrypted, they're inaccessible to hackers and snoops. To share those documents with the right people, you simply supply them the decryption password. Just which encryption product is best for you depends on your needs, so we've rounded up a varied collection of encryption products to help you choose.

File Encryption, Whole-Disk Encryption, and VPNs

In this roundup, I'm specifically looking at products that encrypt files, not at whole-disk solutions like Microsoft's Bitlocker. Whole-disk encryption is an effective line of defense for a single device, but it doesn't help when you need to share encrypted data.

You can use a Virtual Private Network, or VPN, to encrypt your own internet traffic. From your PC to the VPN company's server, all your data is encrypted, and that's a great thing. However, unless you're connected to a secure HTTPS website, your traffic is not encrypted between the VPN server and the site. And of course the VPN's encryption doesn't just magically rub off on files you share. Using a VPN is a great way to protect your internet traffic when you're traveling, but it's not a solution for encrypting your local files.

No Back Doors

When the FBI needed information from the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone, they asked Apple for a back door to get past the encryption. But no such back door existed, and Apple refused to create one. The FBI had to hire hackers to get into the phone.

Why wouldn't Apple help? Because the moment a back door or similar hack exists, it becomes a target, a prize for the bad guys. It will leak sooner or later. In a talk at Black Hat this past summer, Apple's Ivan Krstic revealed that the company has done something similar in their cryptographic servers. Once the fleet of servers is up and running, they physically destroy the keys that would permit modification. Apple can't update them, but the bad guys can't get in either.

All of the products in this roundup explicitly state that they have no back door, and that's as it should be. It does mean that if you encrypt an essential document and then forget the encryption password, you've lost it for good.

Two Main Approaches

Back in the day, if you wanted to keep a document secret you could use a cipher to encrypt it and then burn the original. Or you could lock it up in a safe. The two main approaches in encryption utilities parallel these options.

One type of product simply processes files and folders, turning them into impenetrable encrypted versions of themselves. The other creates a virtual disk drive that, when open, acts like any other drive on your system. When you lock the virtual drive, all of the files you put into it are completely inaccessible.

Similar to the virtual drive solution, some products store your encrypted data in the cloud. This approach requires extreme care, obviously. Encrypted data in the cloud has a much bigger attack surface than encrypted data on your own PC.

Windows Folder Encryption Software

Which is better? It really depends on how you plan to use encryption. If you're not sure, take advantage of the 30-day free trial offered by each of these products to get a feel for the different options.

Folder Encryption Software Windows 7

Secure Those Originals

After you copy a file into secure storage, or create an encrypted version of it, you absolutely need to wipe the unencrypted original. Just deleting it isn't sufficient, even if you bypass the Recycle Bin, because the data still exists on disk, and data recovery utilities can often get it back.

Best Free Encryption Software

Some encryption products avoid this problem by encrypting the file in place, literally overwriting it on disk with an encrypted version. It's more common, though, to offer secure deletion as an option. If you choose a product that lacks this feature, you should find a free secure deletion tool to use along with it.

Overwriting data before deletion is sufficient to balk software-based recovery tools. Hardware-based forensic recovery works because the magnetic recording of data on a hard drive isn't actually digital. It's more of a waveform. In simple terms, the process involves nulling out the known data and reading around the edges of what's left. If you really think someone (the feds?) might use this technique to recover your incriminating files, you can set your secure deletion tool to make more passes, overwriting the data beyond what even these techniques can recover.

Encryption Algorithms

An encryption algorithm is like a black box. Dump a document, image, or other file into it, and you get back what seems like gibberish. Run that gibberish back through the box, with the same password, and you get back the original.

The U.S. government has settled on Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) as a standard, and all of the products gathered here support AES. Even those that support other algorithms tend to recommend using AES.

If you're an encryption expert, you may prefer another algorithm, Blowfish, perhaps, or the Soviet government's GOST. For the average user, however, AES is just fine.

Public Key Cryptography and Sharing

Passwords are important, and you have to keep them secret, right? Well, not when you use Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) cryptography.

With PKI, you get two keys. One is public; you can share it with anyone, register it in a key exchange, tattoo it on your forehead—whatever you like. The other is private, and should be closely guarded. If I want to send you a secret document, I simply encrypt it with your public key. When you receive it, your private key decrypts it. Simple!

Using this system in reverse, you can create a digital signature that proves your document came from you and hasn't been modified. How? Just encrypt it with your private key. The fact that your public key decrypts it is all the proof you need. PKI support is less common than support for traditional symmetric algorithms.

If you want to share a file with someone and your encryption tool doesn't support PKI, there are other options for sharing. Many products allow creation of a self-decrypting executable file. You may also find that the recipient can use a free, decryption-only tool.

What's the Best?

Right now there are three Editors' Choice products in the consumer-accessible encryption field. The first is the easiest to use of the bunch, the next is the most secure, and the third is the most comprehensive.

Best Folder Encryption Software Mac

AxCrypt Premium has a sleek, modern look, and when it's active you'll hardly notice it. Files in its Secured Folders get encrypted automatically when you sign out, and it's one of the few that support public key cryptography.

CertainSafe Digital Safety Deposit Box goes through a multistage security handshake that authenticates you to the site and authenticates the site to you. Your files are encrypted, split into chunks, and tokenized. Then each chunk gets stored on a different server. A hacker who breached one server would get nothing useful.

Folder Lock can either encrypt files or simply lock them so nobody can access them. It also offers encrypted lockers for secure storage. Among its many other features are file shredding, free space shredding, secure online backup, and self-decrypting files.

The other products here also have their merits, too, of course. Read the capsules below and then click through to the full reviews to decide which one you'll use to protect your files. Have an opinion on one of the apps reviewed here, or a favorite tool we didn't mention? Let us know in the comments.

Best Encryption Software Featured in This Roundup:

  • CertainSafe Digital Safety Deposit Box Review


    MSRP: $12.00

    Pros: MicroEncryption renders bulk data breach of cloud-stored files impossible. Logon handshake authenticates both user and server. Can share files with guests or other users. Retains previous versions of modified files. Secure chat.

    Cons: If you forget password or security answers, you lose all access. Can only share entire folders, not files.

    Bottom Line: When backing up your sensitive files to the cloud, CertainSafe Digital Safety Deposit Box emphasizes security over all else, but it doesn't sacrifice ease of use.

    Read Review

  • Folder Lock Review


    MSRP: $39.95

    Pros: Encrypted lockers protect files and folders. Secure online backup. Can lock files and folders, making them invisible. File shredding. Free space shredding. Self-decrypting files. Many useful bonus features.

    Cons: Product serial number stands in for master password by default. Locked files are not encrypted. Secure backup requires separate subscription.

    Bottom Line: Folder Lock can lock access to files for quick, easy protection, and also keep them in encrypted lockers for serious protection. It combines a wide range of features with a bright, easy-to-use interface.

    Read Review

  • AxCrypt Premium Review


    MSRP: $3.41

    Pros: Very easy to use. Handles editing encrypted files. Secure sharing using public key cryptography. Secure file deletion. Generates memorable passwords. Secure online password storage.

    Cons: Can be risky if you don't ensure local security of your PC.

    Bottom Line: AxCrypt Premium makes encryption simple enough for any user, and even offers public key cryptography for secure sharing of encrypted files.

    Read Review

  • InterCrypto Advanced Encryption Package Review


    MSRP: $49.95

    Pros: Offers 17 encryption algorithms. Supports PKI. Secure deletion. Password generator. Encrypts text to/from the clipboard. Command-line operation.

    Cons: Awkward, dated user interface. Password generator doesn't work well. Some features described in Help system are absent.

    Bottom Line: InterCrypto's Advanced Encryption Package is by far the most feature-rich encryption tool we've tested. But its awkward and dated interface make it one that should be reserved for experts.

    Read Review

  • Cypherix Cryptainer PE Review


    MSRP: $45.00

    Pros: Easy to encrypt file just by moving them into a secure volume. Password quality meter. Can share volumes. Mobile edition. Can encrypt files and folders for email.

    Cons: Secure deletion doesn't handle unencrypted originals. Complicated creation of secure volumes, especially after the first. Expensive for what it does.

    Bottom Line: Cypherix Cryptainer PE creates encrypted volumes for storing your sensitive files. Lock the volume and nobody can access the files. It does the job, but it's relatively expensive.

    Read Review

  • Cypherix SecureIT Review


    MSRP: $29.95

    Pros: Encrypts files and folders with optional compression. Includes secure deletion. Straightforward user interface. Self-decrypting EXE option.

    Cons: No filename encryption. Lacks advanced features.

    Bottom Line: Cypherix SecureIT handles the basic task of encrypting and decrypting files and folders in a workmanlike fashion, but it lacks advanced features offered by the competition.

    Read Review

  • Ranquel Technologies CryptoForge Review


    MSRP: $39.70

    Pros: Can use one to four encryption algorithms. Simple, context-menu-based operation. Can keep passphrase in memory. Secure deletion. Text encryption. Filename encryption.

    Cons: Passphrase memory can be a security risk for the careless. Fewer features than some competitors.

    Bottom Line: CryptoForge offers a simple, context-menu-based approach to encryption and secure deletion, and it also handles text-only encryption. It's a fine choice for keeping your files safe.

    Read Review

  • InterCrypto CryptoExpert 8 Review


    MSRP: $59.95

    Pros: Creates secure storage for sensitive files. Easy to use. Two-factor authentication.

    Cons: Lacks secure deletion. Displayed some odd error messages in testing.

    Bottom Line: Any file you drop into InterCrypto CryptoExpert 8's secure storage vaults gets encrypted when you lock the vault. It's easy to use, but it lacks some features and we found some confusing errors in our testing.

    Read Review

  • Steganos Safe Review


    MSRP: $39.95

    Pros: Many options for hiding encrypted files. Easy to use. Two-factor authentication. Can hide existence of containers. Comprehensive secure-deletion file shredder. Trace remover. Price includes five licenses.

    Cons: Combination of hidden container and two-factor authentication can destroy data. Portable encrypted containers only portable on systems with Steganos installed.

    Bottom Line: Steganos Safe creates secure encrypted storage for your sensitive files. It's very easy to use, and it offers some unique options for maintaining privacy and secrecy.

    Read Review