Folder/Partition Encryption - Comments On These 3 Choices

[tobacco]

Hello

I'm pretty much done with security setup experimentation except for the future Comodo release and Folder/Partition Encryption. I've read through some of the previous threads and now understand the basics and what Encryption won't do (ErikAlbert Thread).

I've done some other reading on the various free products and decided on using 1, possibly 2 of these 3 programs.

MaxCrypt Security Suite Free - http://www.kinocode.com/maxcrypt.htm I really liked what this program offered until i realized after install, how dumbed down the free version is!. I was disappointed to say the least. Does anyone use the 'Pro' version and if so, is it worth the $39.95 US?.

Cryptainer LE - http://www.cypherix.com/index.htm Seems another fine choice but just like the above freebie, very limited free version.

TrueCrypt - http://www.truecrypt.org/ Seems to offer the most for being free. I'm more interested in 'Partition' encryption to help prevent the accidental deletion of Files/Folders among other things by others you occasionally use this machine.

Right now i'm limited to one hard drive with 3 partitions. I have a small data partition which i can re-size to the 20 GIG encrypted volume i looking to achieve. Must i do this first?. Or does TrueCrypt somehow create it's own partition?. Alittle confused on this.

Any comments, suggestions here would be appreciated!

Thanks

[ThunderZ]

Here is another one to add to your choices. http://www.axantum.com/AxCrypt/
I use it as well as others on the Board. Seems to be well liked.

[tobacco]

Thanks for that link ThunderZ

That program doesn't appear to offer as much as the others. Have you tried any of them?. To give you another example, MaxCrypt Free gives you 1 encrypted folder volume as large as 100 mbs, right click option of secure delete and file hide protection. I have a large folder (27 gigs of files) and MaxCrypt hid them all! But i would rather be able to hide the folder itself. I guess i could do this with some other type of program but would prefer to do everything with 1!.

[ThunderZ]

{QUOTE-> Thanks for that link ThunderZ

That program doesn't appear to offer as much as the others. Have you tried any of them?. To give you another example, MaxCrypt Free gives you 1 encrypted folder volume as large as 100 mbs, right click option of secure delete and file hide protection. I have a large folder (27 gigs of files) and MaxCrypt hid them all! But i would rather be able to hide the folder itself. I guess i could do this with some other type of program but would prefer to do everything with 1!. <-QUOTE}


Sorry Tobacco. Have not played with any of the others. Do not require the amount\same features you are looking for.

[LockBox]

Truecrypt is open-source and free. Due to the importance of open-source encryption software, Truecrypt is the best way to go if true SECURITY is your concern. One of the others might have a better UI or whatever, but you don't know if the encryption has been implemented properly. Truecrypt is respected by security professionals and to me, is the easy choice.

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
TrueCrypt works very well. You can make encrypted files or partitions as big as you like. The beauty is that encrypted volumes / partitions look unformatted in Windows - which can also be dangerous if you forget that the drive contains encrypted formation. Encrypted files look just like big files with funny names.
Very good, very recommended.
Mrk

[tobacco]

Thanks Gerard Morentzy & Mrkvonic

I now understand the benefit of using TrueCrypt (no possible back door). So i will now proceed with TrueCrypt and have resized a small partition to a large partition and have moved all files and folders to another partition. I do not wish to make the errors others have so is there something else i have to do the the partition (H) that is to be encrypted before beginning the procedure with TrueCrypt?.

Thanks Again

[Alphalutra1]

Truecrypt doesn't actually need a partition. It makes a file (through an easy to use wizard asking you step by step what you want) however large you want a "partition" (large file) to be. Then, inside the program, it takes that volume it created with whatever options you gave it and then mounts it to any available drive letter in windows. For example, I have a UnixFiles volume I created on my flash drive, then I open up truecrypt, select T: (first letter of my name :P ) then click mount, enter in my passphrase, then a T drive forms with all the files that the one large volume contained.

Cheers,

Alphaltura1

[tobacco]

Hello Alphalutra1

I'm somewhat confused on this topic right now. I don't want a typical volume which is stored in a folder because by chance, this folder can be accidently deleted. Therefore, i want to encrypt an entire partition to avoid this possibility. I re-read the 'ErikAlbert Thread' and it seemed i resized that partition for nothing because of these quotes.

{QUOTE-> Hi Genady,

Could you explain the basic steps (just the main points) to use TrueCrypt with a partition as Erik wants to do?

Does the D: partition first need to be deleted (made into free space on the drive)?

Then you have TrueCrypt create the partition on the free space?
This partition volume could then be mounted as the D: partition?

Erik could then restore the data files (just the files not the whole partition image) into the mounted D: volume.

Is this correct? <-QUOTE}


{QUOTE-> That's right Devinco. TrueCrypt works with unallocated space. So the D: partition would need to be unformatted and unallocated (free space as you called it). Then, the partition is formatted and encrypted by the TrueCrypt application using whatever encrytion and hash algorithm you have selected. You would then move your data files over to the encrypted D: partition. Simple, yet powerful software. <-QUOTE}

So i went ahead and deleted partition 'H' and now have 25 Gigs of unallocated space. Then using the create volume wizard, i select 'Device' instead of file but it doesn't show the 25 gigs of unallocated space i wanted to use for an encrypted partition.:wacko:

[LockBox]

Did you reboot? Sometimes TC can't "see" the partition until you have rebooted. Here's a great tutorial (http://b-con.us/security/truecrypt_intro.php), and don't hesitate to use the TC forums at the Truecrypt site. Don't worry, you'll get it and then you'll be good to go.

[tobacco]

{QUOTE-> Did you reboot? Sometimes TC can't "see" the partition until you have rebooted. Here's a great tutorial (http://b-con.us/security/truecrypt_intro.php), and don't hesitate to use the TC forums at the Truecrypt site. Don't worry, you'll get it and then you'll be good to go. <-QUOTE}

Hello Gerard Morentzy

Yes, i read that previously as i try to put forth an effort before asking for help but i will read it again. Should i not have deleted partition 'H'?. Right now i only have partition 'C' & 'D' left. And yes, i have rebooted.

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,

I suggest you:

Create partition F and format it as you like, in Windows.

Then in TrueCrypt, select the partition and encrypt it completely. It can take quite a long time, approx. 25GB/hour.

It will remain lettered in Windows but when you click on it, it will show as unformatted.

You can then mount it and unmount it normally using TrueCrypt.

Mrk

[tobacco]

Hello Mrkvonic


I re-read the link that Gerard Morentzy provided and pertaining to 'Partition Encryption' wasn't much farther ahead so decided to give it another try again and it seems i have succeeded. I really feel that the help menus could be better explained when it comes to encryption of partitions. This is what i did.

Went back to disk management and created another partition using the 25 gigs of free space. However, i left it unformatted and without a Drive Letter. Then using the Create Volume Wizard in TrueCrypt, i select this unlettered partition to encrypt and format using FAT incase i wanted to create a 'Hidden Volume' inside. Have successfully mounted and unmounted partition 'H'.

My only concern is when 'H' is unmounted and 'invisible' in 'My Computer', when i go into Disk Management, it still shows an unlettered 25 gig partition!. Is this normal?. Shouldn't it be hidden here also?.

It took 18 minutes to fully format the 25 gigs.