Windows Encryption Software

Wed Dec 15 06:32:11 UTC 2010

On Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 12:24 AM, Brandon Kim <brandon.kim at brandontek.com>
wrote:

> I want to know if there's software out there that will encrypt files on
> win2k3, winxp, win7, so that if someone decides to steal the computer
> and plug the harddrive into a USB external case, they won't be able
> to read the files on the harddrive.
>
> I know windows has bitlocker, but I don't know if that is available
> for Win2003? And it always seems like 3rd party apps seem to
> do a better job than what Microsoft gives you.

+1 Truecrypt
It's a very good solution, which lacks some of the complications of using
BitLocker that others here have described, but is arguably just as secure in
terms of cipher usage, and is very well written.

Please note that you do *not* have to use Truecrypt in whole-disk-encryption
mode (the comment "*with Truecrypt, you need to type in the password to boot
the computer*" is not necessarily true - it depends how you set it up). TC
has a second usage mode in which you use it to create an encrypted container
(in a conventional file or a dedicated disk partition) which appears as a
Windows drive when "mounted" (by the TC driver software).  I'd bet that far
more people use it in this mode than those who use it for WDE ... many folks
use it to keep data on memory sticks (and other portable storage media)
safe.

Icing on the cake: TC also has Mac and Linux versions, and the container
files are portable between all 3 environments.

Cheers
Nick