The Best Guide To Free Computer Encryption Software

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

The document encryption software you select should work quickly, be easy to use and maintain your information safe.PerformanceWe analyzed all the encryption methods thoroughly using 63 files which totaled 128MB to determine which application was the best overall. People who converted the documents quickly received more charge in the final scores than many others.

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

The apps we include in our lineup are overall simple and intuitive, especially Folder Lock and Secure IT. They both guide you through procedures step by step. Secure IT provides you access to encryption by integrating with the Windows operating platform, so all you've got to do is right-click on a document and choose to encrypt it in the menu.In almost every test, we discovered these file encryption programs compress files as they encrypt them.

Free Computer Encryption Software Fundamentals Explained

People who compressed documents the most obtained more charge in scoring.SecurityEncryption software uses different types of ciphers to scramble your information, and each has its own benefits. Advanced Encryption Standard, or 256-bit key AES, is a sort of the Rijndael cipher and is used by the U.S. government, including the National Security Agency, so it is considered one of the strongest encryption ciphers available.

Though any of these ciphers could be broken given enough time and computing power, they're considered practically unbreakable. AES has long been recognized as the superior algorithm, so we gave more credit to the programs that employ AES.Many data programs include an option to shred your files when you are all set to bury data.

To"shred" documents, a program overwrites the data with random pieces of information. Data retrieval is a lengthy process, so unless you are in the business of trade secrets or espionage, your hard drives are probably 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 the program is useful. Many programs require a master password to use the application, and then another password for each vault or collection of documents. Password generators are also useful when you don't want to need to come up with strong passwords yourself.We sent encrypted files via email and supplied 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, and that means you have access to this security feature, but programs like Folder Lock and Advanced Encryption Package Pro make it easy to access. Stealth mode provides even more solitude anyone else who logs on to your personal computer or hacks in won't even see that you utilized encryption software.After encrypting files, a few applications allowed us to back up the protected data and connect with upload to a server, such as Google Drive or Dropbox, that can be called redundant safety.

In fact, you can upload any of your encrypted files into a cloud space and your documents remain safe.Top Ten Reviews seeks, whenever possible, to evaluate all products and services in hands-on tests that simulate as closely as possible the experiences of a typical consumer. We obtained the applications in our comparison on loan by the companies and via 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 ideal encryption software for you, it is always important that you choose a program which works for your system. Also, if you run into issues with your software, you might need to contact customer support or have access to online manuals and tutorials.Version CompatibilityIf you are running an older version of Windows, such as Vista or XP, then click to read you certainly want to be certain that the app still supports your operating platform.