Encryption minimizes the possibility of unauthorized release of confidential or sensitive information. Encryption should be employed by every computer user who wishes to keep certain information/data secret.

Any procedure used in cryptography to convert plaintext into ciphertext (encrypted message) in order to prevent any but the intended recipient from reading that data.

Any data you wish to keep private (e.g., confidential information, student grade books, sensitive personal/financial information, etc.)

You can encrypt files, folders, hard drives, USB/thumb drives, emails, email attachments, instant messages, images, videos, wireless Internet connections, etc.

There are different strengths of encryption (e.g., 64 bit, 128 bit, 256 bit etc.) which vary based on the algorithm and key length (or key size) used. Keys having higher numbers of bits are theoretically stronger.

128 bit keys (for symmetric algorithms of AES quality) are commonly used and considered strong.

The U.S. Government requires 192 or 256 bit AES keys for TOP SECRET data.

Data is encrypted through the use of algorithms (and keys), which essentially rearrange, scramble, and encode the data. In most cases, that process is varied depending on a key which changes the detailed operation of the algorithm. There are two types of algorithms (encryption methods): symmetric and asymmetric.

Windows encryption should only be used if your computer is NOT connected to the internet, or if you have no means of access to the Internet. Most Windows XP encryption solutions store a symmetric key on your hard drive outside of the encrypted portion of the drive. Therefore, it is possible for an individual to use this symmetric key to gain access to encrypted files on your computer.

For instructions on how to use Windows encryption, click here.

If you have Windows Vista Ultimate or Enterprise editions you can use Microsoft's BitLocker to encrypt your entire Windows operating system volume. For more information, click here.

Apple computers have preinstalled encryption software, i.e. FileVault, that is no longer fully safe to use due to available online instructions (one example) that document its weaknesses.

Encrypt This 1.0 is the recommended encryption program for Mac OS X. It utilizes AES encryption and is more secure than the standard encryption available on Macs.

Please see Encrypting Files.

Please see Encrypting Files.

Please see Encrypting USB/Thumb Drives.

Please see Encrypting PDAs/Smartphones.

Please see Encrypting Email.

Please see Encrypting Files.

Free software is unlicensed and free to distribute, but may not have the strongest encryption algorithms. The algorithms they employ are perfectly sufficient for the personal and business person who does not wish to pay for government strength encryption.

Software that is commercially available is meant for people for whom the security of information is paramount to most other administrative procedures.