![]() Once installed, I found it a little confusing because it's actually made up of four apps - and doesn't offer a common interface. It works on systems running Windows XP and later.ĬryptoForge offers four different encryption techniques.ĬryptoForge took about two minutes to download and install. Interestingly, though, it provides only one way to encrypt and shred files: Through Windows File Explorer.Īt $40 for a single user, CryptoForge gives you a nice choice of encryption formats: Blowfish (448-bit key), AES (256-bit key), Triple DES (268-bit key) and Gost (256-bit key). CryptoForge Encryption SoftwareĬryptoForge offers four different encryption techniques with keys as long as 448 bits. I then checked to see if the file was gone. For those applications that allowed me to control the number of passes, I set the parameter to 5. I also encrypted and decrypted a single 1.3GB video (.MP4) file and timed those operations.įinally, I tested each program's shredding capabilities by timing how long it took to destroy the video file. I used the stopwatch to time how long it took to decrypt the files and noted any problems with the decrypted files. I then searched for one of the encrypted files and made sure it couldn't be opened without the password. ![]() When encrypting, I used the same password for all the folders and files. I used a stopwatch to time how long it took to encrypt the files using AES encryption with a 256-bit key. I ran them both from the computer's drive and from a Lexar 16GB USB thumb drive. PPT formats) together, they totaled 140MB. Using an HP Elitebook Folio G1, I ran tests on a batch of ten files (including. When it comes to shredding, the best let you choose how many passes the program makes, making the safety of your data even more certain. There's a lot of variation in these five programs - mostly involving speed, level of customization and whether or not you can recover a lost or forgotten password. (All of the packages support Windows PCs only Kruptos 2 Professional supports Macs.) For this roundup, I looked at five programs that can encrypt the files and folders you want to keep and shred those you don't: CryptoForge Encryption Software, Inv Softworks Kryptel, Kakasoft Advanced Folder Encryption, Kruptos 2 Professional and QuickCrypto. However, if you use a different version of these operating systems - or if you want to encrypt only specific folders or files rather than the entire drive - there are other resources. By the same token, Apple's Mac OS 10.7 or later includes FileVault 2, which can encrypt a system's image with 128-bit XTS AES protection. If your system is equipped with the Pro or Enterprise version of Windows 8.x or Windows 10, you're already set - you're equipped with, which encrypts full volumes with the 128- or 256-bit AES cypher. In other words, it's completely unrecoverable. The underlying data remains intact until that part of the drive is overwritten with a new file.Ī military-grade shredder, such as those that meet the Department of Defense's 5220.22M standard, starts by removing its FAT entry from the system's drive and then randomizes the underlying data on the drive where the file was stored. As most computer-savvy users know, when you delete a file, all that is actually removed is the File Allocation Table (FAT) entry that the computer uses to track of what's on the drive. It's not enough to simply reformat the hard drive. It is worth mentioning that some of the file shredders included here also feature a handy scheduler option.You also need to be especially careful when you get rid of a system or a hard drive. Considering that 35-passes could mean a lot of time for an average modern hard drive, you can also consider using tools that rely on other algorithms, such as DoD 5220.22-M, for instance. One of the most known algorithms for permanent data wipe is Gutmann, a method that writes a series of 35 patterns over the hard disk region to be erased, so that no recovery application can restore the files. File shredders are software solutions use specialized algorithms to permanently remove data from computers, but also to free computer space occupied by leftover files. If the file can be recovered, you are likely to expose yourself and the company to theft or breach of sensitive information. And no, it does not really matter that you also removed them from the Recycle Bin.Ĭonsequentially, if you want to make sure that the data is permanently erased and hence cannot be recovered with the appropriate tools, you should consider using a shredding tool.īy far the biggest reason to use a file shredder, particularly in commercial environments, is security. In fact, most of these documents, media, tracks and other files can be restored using specialized programs. Despite the fact that you are deleting files from your computer, this does not automatically mean that the data is lost forever.
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