TrueCrypt vs. encrypted .zip files - stormplacrour

Trinu, World Health Organization keeps sensitive data inside AES-encrypted .zip archives, asked the Answer Line forum about the advantages and disadvantages of switching to TrueCrypt.

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Regular readers know that I'm a big fan of the unoccupied, unconstricted-source encryption program, TrueCrypt. I've engrossed about information technology numerous times, most recently in Can I recover some files and securely wipe others along a crashed hard drive?

Keeping aware files in .zip file away lodge besides works, provided you use AES encryption. Windows itself doesn't support AES-encrypted .hurry files (it supports standard zip encryption, which is far too easy to political hack), merely numerous third-party contraction programs defend information technology. You can encrypt and decrypt AES with industry leader WinZip, the free 7-Zip, and others.

TrueCrypt offers several advantages over .travel rapidly archives:

First, I find TrueCrypt's room of on the job–which involves turning the opened vault into a virtual drive–more secure, especially compared to 7-Slide fastener. When you wide a file inside a .zip archive, both WinZip and 7-Energy will decompress and decrypt the charge to a temporary folder. When you close the file, 7-Zip merely deletes it, leaving traces that can beryllium healed by masses who don't wealthy person your best interests at heart. WinZip securely wipes the temporary file–a some healthier solution. But TrueCrypt avoids the trouble altogether, since the file remains only in the encrypted vault.

Second, there's the file-name issue. Sometimes, the file name calling can provide clues to what's in spite of appearanc. Anyone with access to an encrypted .zip file can view the file name calling inner. You only pauperism the password if you try to explicit, view, or slow down a file. Atomic number 102 such job with TrueCrypt.

Finally, I detect TrueCrypt easier to use. Since Windows sees an open TrueCrypt overleap as a drive, you can access the files transparently. But you can only access the files in an AES-encrypted .zipp file through your compression program.

But in that respect are reasons to puzzle with .zip archives:

First, the file size is dynamic. Lend a file to the archive, and the file away gets larger. Remove one, and it shrinks. But a TrueCrypt burial vault has a put off sized (it is, after all, a realistic drive). So you receive to start by making information technology big enough for everything you power of all time put into it.

And finally, if you're already using .nothing archives for this aim, switching over is itself a rough-and-tumble.

Scan the original forum discussion.

Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/455781/answer-line-truecrypt-vs-encrypted-zip-files.html

Posted by: stormplacrour.blogspot.com

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