Software Name: TrueCrypt
License: Free
OS: Win 2000/XP/Vista,
Linux Open Suse (x86, x64)/Ubuntu (x86, x64),
Mac OS X 10.4/10.5
Rating: * * * * * (4 out of 5 stars)
Download File Size: 2.52 MB
Download Now!
Most of us have personal data on our computers that we would like to keep private. There are many ways to achieve this goal. Microsoft Windows XP allows you to keep your 'My Documents' private so that only you can access the files when you login. There is a downside to this. Say your OS gets corrupted and you are unable to login. You can try to boot your computer from other sources such as bootable CDs and browse through data on your drives. But this still won't allow you to access your 'My Documents' folder. You have to go through the ordeal of repairing your Windows just to access those files.
Creating WinRAR archives with password protection is also another option. But with large data, it can be cumbersome to extract or add files to the archive.
Not to worry, TrueCrypt offers relief for you. With TrueCrypt you can create so-called containers or volumes which are encrypted (password protected as well). You can then copy your data in these containers (by mounting them first). These containers appear as ordinary files, which you can copy, move and rename as per your liking. When you want to access files and folders in these containers, you just have to mount them on a virtual drive through the TrueCrypt software. Unless mounted, the data in this file/container is inaccessible. Once mounted, it behaves as a drive to which you may copy files or delete them or do anything that you would like with the files and folders within the container. Once you are done accessing the container via the drive, just dismount the drive and the container again is just an ordinary file, with your latest changes. Your container is password protected so that only you are able to access the data within.
One true strength of TrueCrypt is the hidden container functionality. The purpose of this is to create a hidden container within a normal container discussed above. While creating these containers, you are asked to set separate passwords for the normal and the hidden container. While mounting your container, if you provide password for the normal container, the normal container is mounted and if you provide the password for the hidden container, the hidden container is mounted. If you are forced to reveal your password, you should give the password for the normal container and not the hidden one. According to the developers of TrueCrypt, no one can prove if there is a hidden container in the normal one.
It is a great software and quite fast. Your file can be mounted and dismounted in seconds. There is much more to the software than I have discussed in this article. You may read about more features and download this software from their official site: TrueCrypt. The interface is quite user-friendly, and there are wizards to guide you smoothly through the operations. User Guide is also included with the software, so you won't have any trouble getting started.
License: Free
OS: Win 2000/XP/Vista,
Linux Open Suse (x86, x64)/Ubuntu (x86, x64),
Mac OS X 10.4/10.5
Rating: * * * * * (4 out of 5 stars)
Download File Size: 2.52 MB
Download Now!
Most of us have personal data on our computers that we would like to keep private. There are many ways to achieve this goal. Microsoft Windows XP allows you to keep your 'My Documents' private so that only you can access the files when you login. There is a downside to this. Say your OS gets corrupted and you are unable to login. You can try to boot your computer from other sources such as bootable CDs and browse through data on your drives. But this still won't allow you to access your 'My Documents' folder. You have to go through the ordeal of repairing your Windows just to access those files.
Creating WinRAR archives with password protection is also another option. But with large data, it can be cumbersome to extract or add files to the archive.
Not to worry, TrueCrypt offers relief for you. With TrueCrypt you can create so-called containers or volumes which are encrypted (password protected as well). You can then copy your data in these containers (by mounting them first). These containers appear as ordinary files, which you can copy, move and rename as per your liking. When you want to access files and folders in these containers, you just have to mount them on a virtual drive through the TrueCrypt software. Unless mounted, the data in this file/container is inaccessible. Once mounted, it behaves as a drive to which you may copy files or delete them or do anything that you would like with the files and folders within the container. Once you are done accessing the container via the drive, just dismount the drive and the container again is just an ordinary file, with your latest changes. Your container is password protected so that only you are able to access the data within.
One true strength of TrueCrypt is the hidden container functionality. The purpose of this is to create a hidden container within a normal container discussed above. While creating these containers, you are asked to set separate passwords for the normal and the hidden container. While mounting your container, if you provide password for the normal container, the normal container is mounted and if you provide the password for the hidden container, the hidden container is mounted. If you are forced to reveal your password, you should give the password for the normal container and not the hidden one. According to the developers of TrueCrypt, no one can prove if there is a hidden container in the normal one.
It is a great software and quite fast. Your file can be mounted and dismounted in seconds. There is much more to the software than I have discussed in this article. You may read about more features and download this software from their official site: TrueCrypt. The interface is quite user-friendly, and there are wizards to guide you smoothly through the operations. User Guide is also included with the software, so you won't have any trouble getting started.
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