Best Free Encryption Utility for Personal Use at Work
Scope: Programs you can use where you need to keep personal information private, but where you don't have access to encryption services that you can use for personal purposes. You may not have administrative rights to install programs either. In that case, programs in this category must be free-standing. [other encryption programs]
Cautionary Notes:
1. Operating systems are messy: Echos of your personal data -- swap files, temp files, hibernation files, erased files, browser artifacts, etc -- are likely to remain on any computer that you use to access it. It would be a trivial task to access those echos.
2. Programs of this type may also violate the policy of your employer/host.
See Encryption is Not Enough for further information on what else you need to do beyond encryption to be sure your private data is not lost or exposed.
TrueCrypt is a seasoned, open-source program that you can run in "traveler mode", which doesn't require installation but does require administrative privileges. (I don't know, but suspect that you can use TrueCrypt/Traveler Mode as a standard user in Vista unless UAC is locked down.) I have used TrueCrypt for several years, primarily in installed mode, but traveler mode works well for me too.
When you run the TrueCrypt installation file it offers to install or just extract the files. The latter choice gives you access to TrueCrypt.exe, which is all you need to operate TrueCrypt in traveler mode. If you have access to another computer where you can install TrueCrypt, you can use the "Traveler Disk Setup..." tool to create self contained secure volumes.
FreeOTFE is an "on-the-fly" disk encryption program written by Sarah Dean. It is open source, and has been under continuing development for several years. If you dig around Sarah's personal website you'll see that she understands encryption and security -- particulary if you read some of her reviews of other OTFE programs.
FreeOTFE includes an excellent user guide (online version here). You can read about all the features there too. I found FreeOTFE to be a simple, straightforward program to install and use. If you don't want it to autostart a bunch of system services, you can run the "portable mode" version instead.
FreeOTFE can easily be used in "portable mode" making it ideal for carrying your data securely on USB devices or smart cards. (You will need administrative privileges to run FreeOTFE.exe.) There is also a version of the program for PDAs (running Windows Mobile).
Steganography can be used as an alternative or adjunct to encryption. Steganography provides security by obscurity, i.e., by hiding things in plain sight. Camouflage [requires installation] is a free utility that will encrypt and hide your personal or confidential files within another file. The container file looks and works like a Normal file. For example, you could embed a secret message in a Word file, but it would appear to be just a Normal Word file if anyone opened it. It's a good way to hide the fact that you're hiding something. ;-)
The recipient must also install their own copy of Camouflage to open the file, enter the password and extract the embedded information. Camouflage is Not intended to provide military strength protection, but it does provide a convenient way to sneak information past prying eyes. Camouflage is "abandonware", but is still available at mirror sites.
TrueCrypt
Website: http://www.truecrypt.org/
Author: Open-source
Current version: 6.0a
Version date: July 7, 2008
License: Open-source (freeware)
Download File size: 2.85 MB
Operating Systems Supported: Windows Vista/XP/2000; Mac OS X; Linux
64 version available: No
Portable version available: Yes, traveler-mode
Non-English languages supported: n/a
Other relevant information: Wikipedia article
FreeOTFE
Website: http://www.freeotfe.org/
Download page: http://www.freeotfe.org/docs/download.htm
Author: Sarah Dean http://www.sdean12.org/
Current version: 4.0
Version date: June 08, 2008
License: Open Source
Download File size: 1.72 MB
Operating Systems Supported: Windows 2000/XP/Vista
64-bit version available: Yes
Portable version available: Yes
Non-English languages supported:
Additional software required: No
Other relevant information: Wikipedia article
Camouflage
Website: n/a
Download page: http://camouflage.unfiction.com/
Author: Twisted Pear Productions
Current version: 1.2.1 (last)
Version date: No longer developed
License: Freeware
Download File size: 2.66 MB
Operating Systems Supported: Windows 95, 98, ME, NT and 2000
64 version available: No
Portable version available: No
Non-English languages supported: No
Other relevant information: Requires installation
This software category is maintained by volunteer editor Philip Spohn
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FreeOTFE v4.00, also has a Pocket PC version.
http://freeotfe.sarah-dean.qarchive.org/
i donot believe that freeOTFE by sarah dean has malware .
i tested it by some antispyware and avast antivirus and find nothing .
i trust sarah dean , she is very clever and honest .
but i wish that someone expert in security issues review this program .
regards. adam
A word to the wise.
Cheers
So it says that 23 out of the 1224 downloads hosted on qarchive are such that "some people consider adware, spyware or other potentially unwanted programs." I'm missing how this relates to FreeOTFE? (The previous version was tested clear http://www.siteadvisor.com/sites/privacyinspector.com/downloads/11963741... but I didn't see the latest.)
Yes, I see that version 3 from privacyinspector.com checks out OK. However the only place that I've found version 4 is at qarchive.org, which doesn't get a clean bill-of-health. My guess is that it's perfectly OK, but an encryption program is not something I'd take a chance on personally.
Cheers
No need to take a chance! You could do your own scan for malware - indeed, I believe there are some programs that do just that on this site ;)
Seriously though, FreeOTFE is worth considering if you want to view on a pocket pc drives encrypted on the pc.
It is available here (a green site):
http://www.freeotfe.org/
It is open source, so very unlikely to have malware.
Thanks to your clue keroffs, I've stumbled on more information about FreeOTFE.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FreeOTFE
I now have more motivation to look into FreeOTFE further. :-)
Cheers
Thanks for that. I am looking into it myself and that helps.
Steve
Is there any program for decrypt a file and encrypt file with a key we choose?
Another encryption utility that I came across is Rohos Mini Drive.
http://www.rohos.com/free-encryption/
This software will create an encrypted volume on your USB drive and place a small application in the 'unencrypted' part that will allow you to mount and access the encrypted volume WITHOUT installing anything on the host PC. (Installation is required to create setup your USB drive...)
The 'FREE' version provides:
~256AES NIST approved encryption
~Virtual keyboard option during password entry to avoid keyloggers
~Simple interface
~Does NOT require admin rights to access the drive
~Free version allows up to 1gig volume size.
~Autorun folder that will run when volume is mounted.
Might be worth adding to the list. ;-)
This program does not meet the criteria of time-proven encryption, but it looks like a reasonable choice for non-critical use.
Cheers
Well,
i would like to suggest TCExplorer for those who have no administration rights to use true crypt on their pc, I've been using it fo so long , and It seems to work properly!
gcu212
Thanks, I had forgotten about TCExplorer.
Update: I have now tried to use TCExplorer, but it will not open a TrueCrypt file for me. There is a silent security breach when you use TCExplorer. It decrypts the encrypted contents of your TrueCrypt volume to a clear-text local file. You need to securely purge that file when you're finished using it.
Cheers ~ Philip Spohn
Hi
Truecrypt 6 is out!
Truecrypt is a great piece of software that does exactly what I wanted. I've been looking for such an application for a long time.
This is a very strange category. What is its scope?
At the moment, I am thinking that programs in this category are limited to those that do not need to be installed, i.e., programs that do not violate IT rules.
A current source for Camouflage is: http://camouflage.unfiction.com/
It works fine, but must be on the recipient PC.
A simple program that is very easy to use is A-lock. It sends a link to the recipient if the do not have the program. This is easiest of all these three. Get it at: http://www.pc-encrypt.com/_site/alock/index.mhtml
Crypt4Free has an option to stat up your e-mail. It too is pretty straight foward. Get it at: http://crypt4free.en.softonic.com/
A thought for consideration. If your managers at work have user policies to prevent you from installing programs, none of these will work. In that case, either be a good boy, or use an internet encrytion service, none of which I have evaluated.
LEberhart@digitalshaman.net
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