Originally posted on May 27, 2006 @ 2:56 pm
Many of my geek friends use an array of Linux flavors (Debian, Fedora, FreeBSD, Gentoo, Knoppix, Mandrake, OpenBSD, RedHat, Slackware, etc.) and have their hard drives encrypted for added protection and security.
I also have some friends who don’t use Linux and prefer Windows, shame on you, hehe… but that’s ok because at some point we all have to use Microsoft Windows in our personal or business daily lifes.
It seems lately I’ve been asked a lot if I can recommend an easy solution to encrypt hard drives under Windows. Well today I have a great recommendation: Truecrypt.
TrueCrypt is Open-Source, free and runs under Windows XP/2000/2003 and Linux. What more could you ask for?
Some of the key features in TrueCrypt include:
- Creates a virtual encrypted disk within a file and mounts it as a real disk.
- Encrypts an entire hard disk partition or a device, such as USB flash drive.
- Encryption is automatic, real-time (on-the-fly) and transparent.
Something a lot of people will find interesting about this program is it provides two levels of plausible deniability, in case an adversary forces you to reveal the password:
- Hidden volume (steganography)
- No TrueCrypt volume can be identified (volumes cannot be distinguished from random data).
TrueCrypt uses multiple encryption algorithms: AES-256, Blowfish (448-bit key), CAST5, Serpent, Triple DES, and Twofish. Mode of operation: LRW (CBC supported as legacy).
To find out more, visit www.Truecrypt.org today!