Best Free Encryption Utility for Personal Use at Work

Scope: Programs you can use where you need to keep personal information private, but where you don't have access to encryption services that you can use for personal purposes. You may not have administrative rights to install programs either. In that case, programs in this category must be free-standing. [other encryption programs]

Notes:

1. Operating systems are messy: Echos of your personal data -- swap files, temp files, hibernation files, erased files, browser artifacts, etc -- are likely to remain on any computer that you use to access it. It would be a trivial task to access those echos. ;>) [more]

2. Programs of this type may also violate the policy of your employer/host. ;>)

3. Encryption programs that create encrypted "volumes" (files that contain encrypted files) do not change the size of the volume file, and may not change it's "date modified", even though content in the file has been changed or modified. The purpose is to maintain "plausable deniability", but the result can be that your backup software does not recognize the file as being changed, and skips backing it up.

TrueCrypt is a seasoned, open-source program that you can run in "traveler mode", which doesn't require installation but does require administrative privileges. (I don't know, but suspect that you can use TrueCrypt/Traveler Mode as a standard user in Vista unless UAC is locked down.)  I have used TrueCrypt for several years, primarily in installed mode, but traveler mode works well for me too.

When you run the TrueCrypt installation file it offers to install or just extract the files. The latter choice gives you access to TrueCrypt.exe, which is all you need to operate TrueCrypt in traveler mode. If you have access to another computer where you can install TrueCrypt, you can use the "Traveler Disk Setup..." tool to create self contained secure volumes.

Steganography can be used as an alternative or adjunct to encryption. Steganography provides security by obscurity, i.e., by hiding things in plain sight. Camouflage [requires installation] is a free utility that will encrypt and hide your personal or confidential files within another file. The container file looks and works like a Normal file. For example, you could embed a secret message in a Word file, but it would appear to be just a Normal Word file if anyone opened it. It's a good way to hide the fact that you're hiding something. ;-)

The recipient must also install their own copy of Camouflage to open the file, enter the password and extract the embedded information. Camouflage is Not intended to provide military strength protection, but it does provide a convenient way to sneak information past prying eyes. Camouflage is "abandonware", but is still available at mirror sites.

TrueCrypt
Website: http://www.truecrypt.org/
Author: Open-source
Current version: 6.0a
Version date: July 7, 2008
License: Open-source (freeware)
Download File size: 2.85 MB
Operating Systems Supported: Windows Vista/XP/2000; Mac OS X; Linux
64 version available: No
Portable version available: Yes, traveler-mode
Non-English languages supported: n/a
Other relevant information: n/a

Camouflage
Website: n/a
Download page: http://camouflage.unfiction.com/
Author: Twisted Pear Productions
Current version: 1.2.1 (last)
Version date: No longer developed
License: Freeware
Download File size: 2.66 MB
Operating Systems Supported: Windows 95, 98, ME, NT and 2000
64 version available: No
Portable version available: No
Non-English languages supported: No
Other relevant information: Requires installation

This software category is maintained by volunteer editor Philip Spohn