Tool for folder security and encryption

[schmosef]

I have an external hard drive that I shuttle between various locations. It contains a lot of sensitive and proprietary customer data that would be bad if it fell into the wrong hands.

I want to be more proactive than that idiot prof, who was posted about recently, which tried to scare his laptop's thief into returning the item with a bunch of bogus claims that the Secret Service was on the case.

What do you guys recommend / use to securly lock access to a folder or data drive?

[schmosef]

One more thing...

I don't mind if it's not free.

[MultimediaMan]

NTFS Encryption?

[schmosef]

It's an external drive. Not all the PCs I'll be connecting to are XP Pro. I think Pro is required for NTFS Encryption, isn't it? And isn't NTFS encryption tied to the hardware key of the PC? I need something I can connect to multiple PCs.

[Sasq]

it sounds more like you need a hardware type solution.
there are a number of encryption programs - google SFS for one. but they require software to be installed on the host pc.

your easiest/cheapest method could just be zero compression encrypted zip files for customer data.

[schmosef]

Yeah, I don't mind installing software on the PCs were I need to connect the drive. As long as it's compatible with both versions of XP, and 2003 server.

I don't what to manually manage zip files. I'd prefer a software tool that asks me for a password and seamlessly provides access to the files.

I'll look into SFS as you suggested.

[Wombat]

Look into TrueCrypt. It can encrypt partitions on the fly. It's for 2000/2003/XP only right now. But it's open source, and appears to work very well. It will even display "alternative" partitions if you give it the wrong password.

Apparently you can carry the TrueCrypt program around on a USB key or such and it will work without having to actually install on the host PC.

[Nowhere]

My vote also goes to Truecrypt. It can even create hidden encrypted volume inside visible one.

[KeiFront]

Another vote for TrueCrypt it's fast and easy and even safer then windows own encryption scheme EFS.

[Sasq]

I just pulled sfs as a random google thing, never used it, TrueCrypt sounds interesting, wake me up when they have a nix and mac client.

[Gurm]

I have USED PGPDrive. It's part of the PGP Desktop suite. I have HEARD good things about Truecrypt.

[schmosef]

awesome guys, I'll look into these!

[Jammrock]

You can use EFS (Encrypted File System) built in to Win2k/XP Pro and take it elsewhere. You just have to copy your security certificate with you on a flash drive and/or floppy disk. And of course the other systems have to be Win2k/XP ....

Jammrock

[schmosef]

That was discussed earlier in the thread. It's not XP Home compatible is it? I need to occasionally use XP Home.

[Jammrock]

That was discussed earlier in the thread. It's not XP Home compatible is it? I need to occasionally use XP Home.

I suppose not Typical Microsoft. You can use NTFS with XP Home, but not all the features.