Encryption Software

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mintydroid

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I'd like to know what software do you guys use to encrypt sensitive documents for storage on a drive? Like a vault or just encrypting certain files with passwords?
 
Truecrypt used to be really popular and then there was some scandal that I didn't follow. Most operating systems have something built in that works well for internal drives. I haven't found anything that works well on external drives and is also multi platform.
 
The easiest way is just to use the OS to encrypt the entire drive if it is internal. Linux also does a good job of encrypting external USB drives as well. No idea about OSX on externals, someone more familiar with the OS will need to comment.

Unfortunately Truecrypt is now dead so that is no longer viable for encrypting volumes. There is a new fork of it based on the original code called VeraCrypt. Other alternatives are to use something like 7zip, but this would be more for encrypting an archive rather than files you are currently working on.

Another strategy is to have a VM using full disk encryption and store the files there.
 
garyc said:
The easiest way is just to use the OS to encrypt the entire drive if it is internal. Linux also does a good job of encrypting external USB drives as well. No idea about OSX on externals, someone more familiar with the OS will need to comment.

Unfortunately Truecrypt is now dead so that is no longer viable for encrypting volumes. There is a new fork of it based on the original code called VeraCrypt. Other alternatives are to use something like 7zip, but this would be more for encrypting an archive rather than files you are currently working on.

Another strategy is to have a VM using full disk encryption and store the files there.
Click to expand...

Which method of encryption would suit an archive on 7zip? Some archives you can still view what is located inside but not open the individual files.
 
mintydroid said:
Which method of encryption would suit an archive on 7zip? Some archives you can still view what is located inside but not open the individual files.
Click to expand...

There is a tick box somewhere saying if it should encrypt file names. Tick it so they cannot see what the files are called.
Do the same thing with WinRAR myself, don't have the need to encrypt an entire HDD, get annoyed due to the slow-down and sometimes lack of compatibility with OS.
 
Johnatan56 said:
There is a tick box somewhere saying if it should encrypt file names. Tick it so they cannot see what the files are called.
Do the same thing with WinRAR myself, don't have the need to encrypt an entire HDD, get annoyed due to the slow-down and sometimes lack of compatibility with OS.
Click to expand...

Okay I see which one it is, thanks. Works fine.

garyc said:
Another strategy is to have a VM using full disk encryption and store the files there.
Click to expand...

I hadn't thought of this I should give it a go.
 
Last edited:
ambo said:
Most operating systems have something built in that works well for internal drives.
Click to expand...

If it's Bitlocker on Windows, I'm pretty sure I recall it having a built in backdoor for MS / law enforcement agencies. Don't use it.
 
What did Snowden use for his files? I was following Citizen4 to find out but they seem to use PGP on screen. Is that right?
 
I've got linux mint on two of my pc's and downloaded the packages for p7zip. However, I can't get to use the encryption and password functions on the menu when I use .7z extension. The way to use it to go to the built in compression tool. It doesn't have its own gui.
 
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