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I'm starting this topic after reading some interesting posts by SithTracy in the LG GSA-H55L thread about encryption technology.

I am currently using Windows EFS (Encrypting File System) to encrypt sensitive data on my computer.

Using EFS has the advantage of already being built into Windows XP and integrated with your Windows user account, so no extra usernames or passwords are required. I have never had to recover data due to a failed harddrive or other circumstance, but I have backed up my Encryption Key and certificate to a USB flash drive in case the need arrives for a recovery.

Why use TrueCrypt or another encryption method over the EFS that is part of Windows?

I think a lot of people don't trust Microsoft's encryption to not have weaknesses, back doors, etc. Not to mention, with TrueCrypt being open source, it will run on a wider range of OSes (better portability) and has more features (such as the secret volume stuff).

It boils down to this, what works for you... I prefer an open solution. Quite frankly, Microsoft is not known for great security (It'll get fixed on patch Tuesday!!!). Do you trust them not to have a back door? With open source, you can review the code... not everyone is a coder, but if there is a problem with an open source project, they are going to shout it out. Personally, I secure my financial data and other indicative data about me and my family that is stored on a PC... for work, I secure client data (primarily with OpenPGP, but sometimes in TrueCrypt or PGP Disk containers).

TrueCrypt has excellent documentation and an excellent forum, though it can run off topic from time to time and you get "the paranoid" type. There is another open encryption product, otfe.org... never tried it... TrueCrypt is well built and supports Linux and their are plans to support OSX. For data exchange that is appealing, but not so much to the home user. Read the online doc... or just install it and review the pdf. See if it is right for you. I don't consider myself the TrueCrypt subject matter expert, but it is useful and I do use it in some more advanced ways and don't mind giving my opinions on it here.

Encryption has a dark side too and with it being so easy to get, you wonder how much crime is contained in an encrypted message, file, volume, etc. It can be scary to think about. As a father of two girls, I don't want a child molester/sex offender using this technology, but there is nothing I can do about it expect protect my data and my kids.

Thanks for your input SithTracy and Justin42.

TrueCrypt definitely looks interesting and I will probably try using it once I have my new PC due to your recommendations.

Two things I like about TrueCrypt:

1. You don't have to install it to use it - you just need a few files in the same directory and then you can run it from there.

2. There's a nice wizard for setting up a USB Flash drive to use TrueCrypt

I am currently using TrueCrypt instead of the proprietary partition/encryption solutions for my USB Flash drives. It also works much better IMO than NTI Ninja for that purpose.

Sounds good to me, I should probably test it out on one of my USB drives before implementing on my PC HDD.

TrueCrypt v4.3a was released on May 3. Has a few bug fixes in it.

SithTracy wrote:TrueCrypt v4.3a was released on May 3. Has a few bug fixes in it.

Thanks! I've had dismounting problem with 4.3a a couple of times, so hopefully this update has fixed the problem.

TrueCrypt will be turning 5 in January 2008 and will finally support the Mac... and provide a GUI for Linux. Check out what is coming soon...