self contained encryption files

teaboy5 · 10 Mar 2008 at 18:07

Hi

I want to encryption some files, i know there are programs that will zip and encrypt it for me. But i dont want to have to install a program on the other end to be able to decrypt it.

Does anyone know of any self contained encryption programs, that will encrypt the data. So when i get it on the other end i can enter the required password.

I know winrar can password a zip, but these can cracked if necessary.

superplay · 10 Mar 2008 at 18:10

With Truecrypt you can make a what they called a traveler disk. In essence it is a flash drive that contains your encrypted store with a porttable version of truecrypt that will run from a flash drive with no installation required.

teaboy5 · 10 Mar 2008 at 19:12

Yeah i have that already. But i want to encrypt say a single file, for example an HR database. And send it over the net, and the person on the other end needs the password to be able to access it. But at the same time i want the data to be encrypted.

Energize · 10 Mar 2008 at 19:14

teaboy5 said:
I know winrar can password a zip, but these can cracked if necessary.

Rar files are just as secure as any other encryption method, there is no way to crack them, all encryption algorithms, save one time pad, can be decrypted using brute force. A rar file sounds like your best bet.

superplay · 10 Mar 2008 at 20:18

You could use email certificates this will encrypt the data in transit and will also ensure that the sender is who they say they are. However this will not ask for a password at the other end.

Maybe use zip/rar and certificates.

lord filbuster · 10 Mar 2008 at 20:25

Originally Posted by teaboy5

I know winrar can password a zip, but these can cracked if necessary.

Last time i tried that, it was going to take 16,000 years to crack an 8 digit (lower case and upper case) password. As long as it isnt a dictionary word rar is fine. And make the password about 12-16+ characters long, with upper, lower case numbers and special characters. The timer on the brute force program broke when i tried that one.