Our Free Computer Encryption Software Diaries

Insert a symbol and it will take even longer"p4ssworD!" Would take approximately 275 days. An even stronger password could be a sentence that's a combination of letters, numbers, symbols and capitalization. Something easy to remember but difficult to imagine, like"mYd0g!sMyp4ssw0rD," would take a PC approximately 3 quintillion years to figure out.Encryption Software: What We Tested, What We FoundMost of the encryption software for Windows we tested lets you combine your encrypted files in one secure location, whether it is a locker, library or vault.

The file encryption software you choose should work quickly, be user friendly and maintain your information safe.PerformanceWe tested all the encryption methods thoroughly using 63 files which totaled 128MB to determine which program has been the greatest overall. People who converted the files quickly received more charge in the final scores than others.

Although encrypting such a small batch of files only took seconds in most situations, some programs took minutes to finish the task. When you're locking up only a couple megabytes' worth of information, it is not a big deal, but if you're encrypting gigabytes of information, you could be looking at hours of waiting.We also clocked the speed of decryption and found that many programs are able to give you access to your documents fairly quickly.

The programs we include in our lineup are complete easy and intuitive, especially Folder Lock and Secure IT. They both guide you through processes step by step. Secure IT gives you access to encryption by integrating with the Windows operating system, so all you've got to do is tap on a document and select to encrypt it in the menu.In virtually every evaluation, we found that these file encryption programs compress files as they encrypt them.

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Those that compressed files the most obtained more credit in scoring.SecurityEncryption software employs different types of ciphers to scramble your data, and each has its own benefits. Advanced Encryption Standard, or 256-bit key AES, is a form of the Rijndael cipher and is used by the U.S. government, including the National Security Agency, so it's considered one of the strongest encryption ciphers available.

Though any of these ciphers may be broken given enough time and computing power, they are considered almost unbreakable. AES has long been recognized as the superior algorithm, so we gave more credit to the apps that use AES.Many data applications include an option to shred your documents when you're ready you can look here to infect info.

To"shred" documents, an app overwrites the data with random bits of information. Data retrieval is a lengthy process, so unless you're in the business of trade secrets or espionage, your hard drives are likely safe from info recovery.Your files and information are only as safe and protected as your password.

The longer and more random your password is, the harder it is to break. A password strength meter included in this software is useful. Many applications need a master password to use the application, and then a separate password for each vault or collection of documents. Password generators can also be useful if you don't want to have to think of strong passwords yourself.We sent encrypted documents via email and provided a password into the tester to unlock the documents.

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You are using your mouse, which prevents potential keyloggers out of recording your password as you type it. Your Windows operating system includes a digital keyboard, so you already have access to the security feature, but programs like Folder Lock and Advanced Encryption Package Pro make it effortless to access. Stealth mode provides even more privacy anyone else who logs on to your computer or hacks in won't even see that you used encryption software.After encrypting files, some applications enabled us to back up the secure data and connect to upload to a server, such as Google Drive or Dropbox, which is called redundant safety.

In fact, you can upload any of your encrypted files to a cloud area and your files remain safe.Top Ten Reviews seeks, whenever possible, to evaluate all products and solutions in hands-on tests that mimic as closely as possible the experiences of a typical look at these guys consumer. We obtained the applications in our comparison on loan from the companies and through retail purchase.

Results of our evaluations were not given to the companies in advance of publication.What Else Is Important in Choosing Encryption SoftwareWhile security is the utmost element in picking the right encryption software for you, it's obviously important that you choose a program that is suitable for your system. Furthermore, if you run into issues with your applications, you may need to contact customer support or have access to online manuals and tutorials.Version CompatibilityIf you're running an older version of Windows, such as Vista or XP, then you certainly want to be certain that the program still supports your operating platform.