Archive encryption?

Beansprout · 2 Apr 2007 at 01:51

I have a number of sensitive files which will need posting on DVDs to clients. I know RAR files can be 'password protected' but this isn't really good enough...ideally the files need to be encrypted to prevent snooping and in some sort of archive format, and be usable without specialist software.

Are there any archive formats out there which can be encrypted by their creation software, or do I need to buy extra software? Any ideas?

Thanks

Uhtred · 2 Apr 2007 at 09:32

The newest version of winzip had a lot of new encryption options iirc

jbloggs · 2 Apr 2007 at 11:03

Beansprout:

What about TrueCrypt

bledd · 2 Apr 2007 at 14:08

7zip can create exe's with strong passwords

-you dont need anything to unpack the exe, it supplies the extractor inside it

(you just need to double click the exe and supply password)

matja · 2 Apr 2007 at 17:17

Latest versions of RAR actually have rather potent encryption features (AES), they learned from the mistakes made by PKware in the zip format - such as storing known-value data in a consistent format in the encrypted data header, thus allowing attacks quicker than a brute-force or dictionary attack on the keyspace of the cipher.

The only known weakness is a brute force/dictionary attack of the encryption password - same as any symmetric cipher.

RobH · 2 Apr 2007 at 17:55

Create a TrueCrypt volume on your disk no larger than a DVD can hold and dump all of the files into the volume. Burn the volume image to a DVD and post it, if someone gets hold of it they will just see random file full of junk on the disk, they won't even be able to tell that it's encrypted data as there are no headers or anything.

You just need to get the key to the other person so they can decrypt it.

Energize · 2 Apr 2007 at 18:18

Truecrypt.

Beansprout · 2 Apr 2007 at 18:25

Thanks for all the suggestions guys

I use Truecrypt myself - hadn't thought of burning a Truecrypt image to disc. Genius

RARs using AES encryption also looks good - I suppose everyone has a copy of WinRAR and if they don't...I can include a copy on the disc

I will have a fiddle and report back...thanks!

bledd · 2 Apr 2007 at 19:41

7zip uses AES 256 too, and if you make it an exe, then you don't need to supply any software with it for anyone to open it

plus its 100% free