Hi, I'm looking for a free encryption software to encrypt files and folders in 256 bit AES. Please suggest me a good one.
Hi, I always use AxCrypt, untick offer if appears. But only AES encryption with 128 bit keys. http://www.axantum.com/AxCrypt/Default.html AES Crypt in 256 bits : https://www.aescrypt.com/ Rules.
If you are using Linux, you can encrypt files and folders with some degree of certainty. If using Windows, 3rd party software can try to encrypt files and folders but how certain can you be that the data is secure? How do you know that unencrypted pieces of the target files are not stored here there and everywhere on the hard drive? In fact, you can be fairly certain that Windows has an unencrypted copy of every file you have opened stuffed in a temp file or page file remnant. AxCrypt will stop your wife, kids or roomate from reading secret stuff but not the police, FBI, NSA, etc... File/folder encryption is fine for a thumb drive or portable hard drive but if you think someone with any intelligent at all will scan your system disk, your only option is system encryption.
AESCrypt has an open API too (although this links to .Net crypto libraries which is both good and bad). It uses a common format for the headers too. I do not agree there is a clear distinction between Linux and Windows, both risk having unencrypted fragments about, and system encryption only protects against some things. Rather obviously, strong passwords are a necessary complement to strong crypto.
But the question asked by arms63 was software that could encrypt both files AND folders. I don't believe AESCrypt or AxCrypt can encrypt a folder. Is there a freeware solution that will encrypt a folder with a simple right-click menu option like AESCrypt does to encrypt a single file?
To encrypt a file tree, that would normally be done with a zip utility, and these use various forms of AES, some 256 bit. If you use the right file type (e.g. 7zip), these can also encrypt the filenames, which is a weakness with normal winzip type zip archives. Of course, the problem then is that all the files are (normally) encrypted with the same password (which you may or may not want). I use PeaZip which at least encrypts added files with the current password, and supports keyfiles though I haven't tested that.
You can also try minilock app (if you use Chromium) to encrypt files. I am not sure it can encrypt folders, though. It's not AES but Xsalsa20, even stronger.