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Introduction
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Scope of this category: Programs that you can use to keep personal information private in situations where you can't get access to encryption services. You may not have administrative rights to install programs either. In that case, you need a program that can be run in portable mode (not installed). Cautionary Notes:
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Discussion
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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 it simple and straightforward to install and use FreeOTFE. If you don't want it to autostart several system services, you can run FreeOTFE in "portable mode" instead. Installation is not required to use FreeOTFE, but read on. It does require administrator privileges to install FreeOTFE, but not to run it after it's installed. It also requires administrator privileges to run FreeOTFE in portable mode, but you can use the associated FreeOTFE Explorer to work around that limitation. Download the *.zip version of FreeOTFE Explorer to do that. FreeOTFE can also be used directly in "portable mode" making it ideal for carrying your data securely on USB devices or smart cards. You'll need administrative privileges to run FreeOTFE in portable mode though. If you are unable to do that, then you should consider FreeOTFE Explorer (below). There's also a version of FreeOTFE for PDAs (devices running Windows Mobile). FreeOTFE Explorer is a simpler companion to FreeOTFE. It does not require administrative rights. You can create encrypted volumes with FreeOTFE Explorer, or use it to open encrypted volumes created by FreeOTFE. There's one major limitation. The Explorer version of FreeOTFE is not as fully intregated with the file system as FreeOTFE itself. That means that you need to do file operations directly from the program, not from Windows Explorer. |
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Related Products and Links
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Rohos Mini Drive creates a hidden, encrypted partition on USB flash drives. You work with the files on the hidden partition without opening a special program. Encryption is Not Enough -- what you need to do beyond encryption to be sure your private data is not lost or exposed. |
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6.3 
Open Source Freeware (includes program code) 
Windows 2000/2003/XP/Vista/7; Mac OS X; Linux
Portable version available
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TrueCrypt 6.3 just released.
http://www.truecrypt.org/docs/?s=version-history
You might also want to try Sophos Free Encryption.
James
Thanks James. I'll try it out.
Update 1: Sophos Free Encryption must be installed, so it's not the kind of program that you can use at work if you're not allowed to install programs. I also found that it's easy to get confused when using Sophos Free Encryption and leave unencrypted files behind in your temp directory. Not good.
Update 2: I believe that running Sophos Free Encryption in a non-administrative user account (Standard User in Windows 7 for example) is the root cause for leaving unencrypted files behind (see comment below in this thread).
Cheers
Philip,
can you please give some more details about "leave unencrypted files behind in your temp directory". What did you do exactly, do you use any file logging software on the system and where exactly did you find an unencrypted file in the temp folder.
Thanks
Robert
Here's what I just did to recreate the problem:
First, I ran Windows 7 as a Standard User, not as an Administrator. I believe that running as a Standard User is the root cause of the problem.
Then I created an encrypted archive by adding a folder.
I saved the archive but did not close Sophos Free Encryption.
I then opened Windows Explorer, added a "New Folder" and then created a text file (New Text Document.txt).
I closed Sophos Free Encryption.
Then I reopened the archive and then the text file through Sophos Free Encryption.
I then closed Sophos Free Encryption, and got the error message shown in the image below.
I then found, using Windows Explorer, that the following paths/files still existed:
C:\Users\{User Name}\AppData\Local\Temp\sophos\New folder\New Text Document.txt
H:\...\New folder\New Text Document.txt
Cheers
Truecrypt 6.2 has been released.
http://www.truecrypt.org/news
For a fast and easy program check out Flashcrypt http://www.fspro.net/flash-crypt/ You can use it on your home comp. or on a flash drive, best of all it is easy to use.
Looks like a very good find.
I found this: http://codefusionlab.co.cc/best-of-free-on-the-fly-disk-encryption-softw... which reviews many other OTFE software
what about an encryption program that doesn't need administrative privileges?
FreeOTFE also has FreeOTFE Explorer, which DOESN'T require administrative privileges! (Unlike truecrypt)
Bulambod cipher software can be download at www.ak0n.tk, an unbreakable cipher algorithm. And it's FREEWARE!!!
I found no independent review of the Bulambod algorithm, and it also seems to be a secret, proprietary cipher. I don't recommend it because it does not have the attributes that I look for when choosing an encryption program.
Sir you can found independent review of Bulambod in various website especially catering pocket pc application, you can search it using google, about the algorithm I will release it soon. And the main point here is FREEWARE. Thank you.
www.ak0n.tk
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.
Update: This issue has been fully resolved (read to the end of this message thread).
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?
For individual file encryption, try axcrypt.
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.
Update: I noticed a comment at DSLReports that stated that Rohos can only open encrypted date in "Read-only" mode unless you have administrator rights.
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
Create your Truecrypt.tc file in version 4.3 and then TCExplorer will work. YO cans till open the .tc file in version 6 afterwards. Previous versions of Truecrypt are available at http://www.truecrypt.org/pastversions.php
Thanks for the comment Anon. Now I remember that TrueCrypt went to a new file format after 4.3. I'll give it a try again.
Update: Unfortunately, if you have a later version of TrueCrypt installed, you must uninstall it before you can install or even run TrueCrypt 4.3 in traveller mode. It doesn't seem to be worth the trouble to do all this just to get TCExplorer to work. :-(
Cheers
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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