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protect directory by hiding or password

By Nick in Austin ·
I have windows xp home edition, pentium 4 1.7 ghz. I am usually connected to the web. I use Kazaa. I want to protect a dedicated folder so that someone on the internet, or someone who steals my computer cannot open or read certain Word documents stored within it. I think I want to protect the entire folder. I am reluctant to hide it using, say Winability's Folderguard, because I'm afraid I will accidentally forget that it's turned on next time I defrag my machine and erase everything. ButI will use that method if you think it is the only foolproof way of doing it. I was thinking I could just password protect the directory, or make it "unshared". What do you recommend and how do I do it. Any software recommendation? By the way, I'm cheap, so I'd like to keep it to about $20, if I need to go out and buy something. Thanks in advance.

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protect directory by hiding or password

by MCWebtree In reply to protect directory by hidi ...

There is always the option of something like the shareware/freeware pgp/gpg option to encrypt the entire directory / or individual files to a pgp key you create.

Pro: would take some breaking if you set up your keyring on a floppy disk rather than on the hard drive, and had a good secret pass phrase

Would protect the files even if they were taken

Cheap (free pgp v7.03 freeware non-commercial or gpg) or $40 to buy latest desktop version of pgp 8

Visible but unavailable so wouldn't get trashed in defrag etc

Cons: Need to understand what you are doing :)

Need to keep key seperate from files

need to decrypt / recrypt and wipe every time you use the files

If keyring was on hard drive would only have to figure out passsphrase to open files (counter with cryptographically strong passphrase, and/or keyring on floppy, hidden away unless needed).

Risk of losing keyring or passphrase renders files useless.

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protect directory by hiding or password

by Nick in Austin In reply to protect directory by hidi ...

Sorry for the delay in answering these suggestions. If memory serves, PPG has been hijacked and is no longer free. Spent alot of time trying to get it for free. Unfortunately, don't know what a keyring is. Peter Johnstone's answer hit the nailon the head. Very happy with Easy Crypto and its sister program handy Bits File Shredder

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protect directory by hiding or password

by Peter Johnstone In reply to protect directory by hidi ...

Hi,
I use a program called Easy Crypto Deluxe. If you use a strong password, that is a mixture of letters, upper and lowercase, figures and special characters and at least 9 digits long(the longer the better) you can?t go wrong. The program is currently free for personal use and you can use it for individual files or whole folders. Take a look here:

http://www.handybits.com/easycrypto.htm


Regards,
Peter Johnstone

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protect directory by hiding or password

by Nick in Austin In reply to protect directory by hidi ...

Eureka! Sister program Handy Bits File Shredder (I think its the same company) is also outstanding.

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protect directory by hiding or password

by Nick in Austin In reply to protect directory by hidi ...

This question was closed by the author

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protect directory with password

by rktech In reply to protect directory by hidi ...

solution for protecting the directory with password is available on http://www.protectafolder.com/

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