Freeware File Encryption Program?

[kaplanfx]

Can anyone suggest a good one. I don't need virtual volume encryption or anything like that. What im looking for is a simple but strong encryption program that can encrpyt/decrypt my Quicken backups, financial statements, and tax forms, that I keep backup copies of on my usb key.

-kaplanfx

[skanky]

PGP?

[matyst]

BCArchive from the maker of BestCrypt - Jetico (www.jetico.com), can create encrypted archives (also self-extracting). Freeware.

[Ground Loop]

GPG (GNU Privacy Guard) is probably the most mature free software available.

PGP is a mostly-commercial version with nicer Windows wrappers.

Both are widely reviewed and considered strong.

Here's a container-based encryption program with open source:
http://www.scherrer.cc/crypt/

[T41mbi]

True Crypt is the most highly regarded

it is also Open Source

Unlike the other s/w programs suggested, True Crypt only offers the most secure encryption algorithms.

[beerak]

This one is quite cool http://en.petricek.net/bca.htm

It uses Twofish, Blowfish, Rijndael and Cast128

[kaplanfx]

Thanks for the replies, there are so many out there and most seem to do a million extra things I don't need so its good to have some suggestions from fellow thinkpadders. Will any of these use the TPM chip which is built into the thinkpad to help with encryption/decryption?

-kaplanfx

[Ground Loop]

Will any of these use the TPM chip which is built into the thinkpad to help with encryption/decryption?

Nope. Only IBM's software supports their TPM, as far as I know. There is some "enterprise" software that might use it.

There is Linux kernel driver support (written by IBM) for both the Atmel and NS TPM chip, but I haven't tried it. Anyone?

[beerak]

Thanks for the replies, there are so many out there and most seem to do a million extra things I don't need so its good to have some suggestions from fellow thinkpadders. Will any of these use the TPM chip which is built into the thinkpad to help with encryption/decryption?

-kaplanfx

afaik only IBM software can use that chip :/ At least none of those posted ones. But bilbocrypt has some performance abilities

Here is the english description: http://en.petricek.net/bca.htm

[whizkid]

Another way to protect your data is to use the hard drive password. The drive is useless without that, and it's very secure.

You'll have to use a power-on password too, or the system will unprotect the drive for you each startup.

[Ground Loop]

Another way to protect your data is to use the hard drive password. The drive is useless without that, and it's very secure.

The hard drive password is useful, but it does not secure your data.

In fact, there are advertised companies that will unlock protected drives and make 100% of the data visible at once. It is not unthinkable that within a few years time or less, this process will become widely known and the password will be no more than a speedbump.

Encryption, good well-published encryption, is quite different. It secures your data through mathematics instead of secret software and firmware locks. There are no companies you can send an AES-encrypted drive to for recovery.

You'll have to use a power-on password too, or the system will unprotect the drive for you each startup.

I don't think my T43 does this. A hard drive password alone will still be prompted at each cold boot, even without a power-on password.

[whizkid]

Excellent. On my 600X, setting the supervisor password also sets the hard disk password to the same string. But that is asked for only when entering EZ Setup, not at power on, so alone it's not useful for locking the drive. I suppose I should look at setting the drive password alone, but I have had the power-on and supervisor set for quite a while.

Unless the drive is likely to contain trade secrets, a common thief looking for identity information will likely not spend several hundred dollars to recover drive data... especially because the speedbump of sending the drive away is more than enough time to cancel all your credit cards and set a flag on any new credit.

Protecting yourself from an uncommon thief is another matter entirely.

Even if using encryption software, if your laptop has a fair chance of being stolen, I would recommend you ALSO use the hard disk password.