Folder Encryption Software Needed

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Can anyone recommend a program that allows you to encrypt a windows folder including it's contents. The protected folder must be able to be opened on any PC without having to install the original program as certain pcs forbid installation of software where I work.
 
Sorry, I can't help you exactly but just a thought...wouldn't it be easier to have a pen drive with data protection / encryption on it?

I know you can get pen drives where you have to punch a code into the drive to be able to access the data, I think they are made by Corsair.
 
Beware of those encrypted usb pens, a lot of them require local admin access which is not much use to anyone who needs to use it between home and work.
 
http://www.truecrypt.org/ does all that and you can even do drives hide a O/S hide the folders as files best of all its FREE.
Main Features:

* Creates a virtual encrypted disk within a file and mounts it as a real disk.

* Encrypts an entire partition or storage device such as USB flash drive or hard drive.

* Encrypts a partition or drive where Windows is installed (pre-boot authentication).

* Encryption is automatic, real-time (on-the-fly) and transparent.

* Parallelization and pipelining allow data to be read and written as fast as if the drive was not encrypted.

* Provides plausible deniability, in case an adversary forces you to reveal the password:

Hidden volume (steganography) and hidden operating system.

* Encryption algorithms: AES-256, Serpent, and Twofish. Mode of operation: XTS.
 

http://www.truecrypt.org/ does all that and you can even do drives hide a O/S hide the folders as files best of all its FREE.
Main Features:

* Creates a virtual encrypted disk within a file and mounts it as a real disk.

* Encrypts an entire partition or storage device such as USB flash drive or hard drive.

* Encrypts a partition or drive where Windows is installed (pre-boot authentication).

* Encryption is automatic, real-time (on-the-fly) and transparent.

* Parallelization and pipelining allow data to be read and written as fast as if the drive was not encrypted.

* Provides plausible deniability, in case an adversary forces you to reveal the password:

Hidden volume (steganography) and hidden operating system.

* Encryption algorithms: AES-256, Serpent, and Twofish. Mode of operation: XTS.


Both of those need to be installed on any PCs needing to access the files though, don't they?
 
You may be better off using something less secure like a passworded zip file with all your stuff inside. Whilst nowhere as secure as something like axcrypt or truecrypt, it will mean that you can access the file on any XP/Vista PC with no additional software install.
 
Both of those need to be installed on any PCs needing to access the files though, don't they?

No.

Truecrypt has a 'Traveller' setup which copies the executable to the USB key or CD that the encrypted file resides on.

Nothing needs to be installed, just run the executable, point it to the file, enter the password and it'll open a new volume in Windows Explorer.
 
No.

Truecrypt has a 'Traveller' setup which copies the executable to the USB key or CD that the encrypted file resides on.

Nothing needs to be installed, just run the executable, point it to the file, enter the password and it'll open a new volume in Windows Explorer.
It still needs to load a driver in this mode, which means it needs admin permissions on the PC concerned. If the OP can't install software on his work PCs, it's unlikely that Truecrypt would work in traveller mode either.
 
It still needs to load a driver in this mode, which means it needs admin permissions on the PC concerned. If the OP can't install software on his work PCs, it's unlikely that Truecrypt would work in traveller mode either.

I don't accept that. I give data in this exact manner to colleagues all the time and our work PCs are locked down tighter than Fort Knox. He can always run a trial.

If he does have problems, then the answer is to download the free PGP trial and create an encrypted self-extracting executable.
 
I don't accept that. I give data in this exact manner to colleagues all the time and our work PCs are locked down tighter than Fort Knox. He can always run a trial.
Well, in that case either the TrueCrypt devs don't know what they're talking about: http://www.truecrypt.org/docs/truecrypt-portable, or your machines aren't locked down as tightly as you think they are.

I haven't personally tried it under those conditions though and, as you say, he can always run a trial.
 
indeed they do, but once the software has been installed fully, then the traveller mode does not then require admin rights, as the truecrypt drive is running in the system context.

So you still have to install true crypt once on each machine for traveller mode to work.
 
I've found this today. It doesn't need to be installed on the PC. Just create a new folder then place the program inside it then copy any other files or documents into the folder. When you have set it up with a password it locks everything within the new folder away until you reopen it using the password.

Folder Protector... http://www.kakasoft.com/lock/index.htm
 
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Your problem is that for the folder to be encrypted and decrypted in a way that's transparent to Windows, you'll always need a device driver to be running, which needs admin permissions to install.

You're possibly better off using an encrypted ZIP or RAR archive.
 
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