Getting My Fastest Encryption Software To Work

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 easy to remember but difficult to guess, like"mYd0g!sMyp4ssw0rD," would take 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 allows you to combine your encrypted files in one protected place, while it's a locker, library or vault.

Ideally, the document encryption software you select should work quickly, be user friendly and maintain your information safe.PerformanceWe tested all the encryption procedures thoroughly using 63 files that totaled 128MB to determine which application has been the best overall. People who converted the files quickly received more charge in the final scores than others.

Although encrypting such a little batch of files only took seconds in most cases, some apps took minutes to finish the job. When you're locking up only a couple megabytes' worth of information, it's not a big deal, but if you are encrypting gigabytes of information, you could be looking at hours of waiting.We also clocked the speed of decryption and found that most apps are able to give you access to your own 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 processes step by step. Safe IT gives you access to encryption by integrating with the Windows operating system, so all you've got to do is right-click on a document and choose to encrypt it in the menu.In almost every evaluation, we found that these file encryption programs compress files since they encrypt them.

A Biased View of Encryption Programs For Windows

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

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

To"shred" documents, an app overwrites the data with random bits of information. Data recovery is a lengthy process, so unless you're in the business of trade secrets or espionage, your own hard drives are likely safe from info recovery.Your files and information will be 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 a separate password for each vault or collection of documents. Password generators are also useful if you don't want to have to think of strong passwords yourself.We sent encrypted documents via email and provided a password to the tester to unlock the files.

Fascination About Free Computer Encryption Software

You are using your mouse, which prevents potential keyloggers from recording your password as you type it. Your Windows operating system includes a digital keyboard, so you already have access to this security feature, but apps like Folder Lock and Advanced Encryption Package Pro make it easy to access. Stealth mode provides even more privacy anyone else that logs on to your computer or hacks in won't even notice that you used encryption software.After encrypting files, a few software allowed us to back up the protected data and connect to upload to a server, such as Google Drive or Dropbox, which web link is called redundant safety.

In fact, you can upload any of your encrypted files into a cloud space and your files remain safe.Top Ten Reviews seeks, whenever possible, to evaluate all goods and solutions in hands-on tests that mimic 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 safety is the utmost factor in picking the right encryption software for you, it is obviously important that you opt for a program which is suitable for your own system. Furthermore, if you run into issues with your applications, you may need to contact customer service or have access to online manuals and tutorials.Version CompatibilityIf you're running an old version of Windows, like Vista or XP, then you certainly want to make sure the program still supports your operating platform.