Free File Encryption – Everywhere

When storing sensitive data, it is crucial that you take the necessary steps to protect that data. A Windows lock screen password is your first line of defence, but can easily be bypassed. Hard drive encryption prevents your private data from falling into the wrong hands, should you ever suffer loss or theft of your device.

In addition to hard local drive encryption, you may consider doing the same on whatever cloud storage services you are using. This blog post discusses simple and effective solutions for Windows, android, and cloud encryption.

Windows: There are many high quality free Window drive encryption tools available. I like Veracrypt, a free and open source tool to get full-disk encryption on any version of Windows. And if you are a Windows Pro, Enterprise, or Education user, you can use the built-in Bitlocker tool to encrypt your entire hard drive in a few simple steps.

Android: I mentioned mobile device encryption in a previous post. From Marshmallow on, android will allow SD Card encryption such that the card is not useable anywhere else except your device. Where to find this setting varies from device to device, but a search for “encryption” in Settings should get you to the right spot.

To complete securing your phone, take advantage of Google’s Find My Device service. In addition to locating a lost device, Find My Device can lock or erase your device data. Coupled with encryption, your device is now very well protected.

Cloud: Cloud encryption is an option for those who want an additional layer of security for their most sensitive files. All the major cloud storage providers including Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive already have excellent privacy and security measures in place. But they’re not perfect. For example, Google Drive briefly decrypts an uploaded file before re-encrypting it and uploading it. There is some excellent software available to encrypt your files before sending them to the cloud. My favourite tool is the free and open-source Cryptomator.

If you have found this post helpful, please leave any comments or questions below. If you need any further help, please get in touch and I’ll be happy to help!

Roy

I've been around computers for a while now, starting with my first machine in 1983. I made a career of it in corporate Calgary, before deciding to start my own business. MyTechGuy.ca specializes in web design, PC & android consulting, and HTPC installs.

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