n00bs guide to encryption

[garry35]

can somebody give me some recommendations and opinions on the best encryption algorythm and program to use.

i know this has probably been asked before, but i just want an easy to follow guide to encryption methods without reading hundreds of posts and still being no wiser and just more baffled than i was to begin with......................

Gazzer

[chronomatic]

It depends on what you are wanting to encrypt.

[lotuseclat79]

Try going to Wikipedia.com and search for encryption where you will get a very good overview of the topic you are seeking information about.

-- Tom

[PaulyDefran]

TrueCrypt with AES with a Pass Phrase of 20 characters or more.

PD

[luciddream]

^ Yep ^... time tested & proven, best performance, AES. I'd add the caveat to use a "strong" password, not just 20 characters that could fall prey to a dictionary attack. That should last em a lifetime trying to brute force. Make it 32 characters if you want it to take several of them (lifetimes).

Oh, and as noobish as I can possibly put it (gotta stay true to form here), if using TrueCrypt, when you get to that part where it tells you to move the mouse as randomly and for as long as possible to improve the strength... move that sucker for as long as you can stand it. Like sit down & watch a show and consider it a wrist exercise.

There: noob tested... noob approved

[garry35]

i wanted good encryption for protecting files on a pendrive or dvd-r etc

[PaulyDefran]

On the pen drive, you can either use containers, or encrypt the whole device. Using containers and placing TC portable on the device, lets you have a portable encryption scheme as long as you have admin rights on whatever computer you use it on. As for CD/DVD, you can burn containers there to read from, but I wouldn't try to use them as 'live' devices. May be fine, but never tried...USB is cheap and massive for storage.

RE: Mouse movement. I thought I saw on the TC forum, that over 30 seconds isn't needed due to the buffer size, etc... May be wrong, and more doesn't hurt!

Yes 20 'as random as you can remember' characters. Never a real word/s, or even a "Tw3ak3d" real word. Blimuckasamogliphs*8 is good

PD

[garry35]

thanks for the reply but i wanted to be as portable possible, in the past i have used winrar to archive any private documents etc and encrypt with a password but i wanted to know if theres anything better from a security point of view and still remain portable.

[Hungry Man]

20 is overkill. I would say 12 is a really safe number and 16 is at the point where no one will ever crack it through typical bruteforcing.

For increased security you can use a keyfile. It's like adding another 60 character password on top of what you use. To bruteforce the key would be impossible through traditional means.