Hiding files and folders can be a solution when you simply need to hide the content from other users on your computer. However, if you really intend to secure your data so that it does not fall into the hands of intruders then encrypting it is the solution.
What is encryption?
Wikipedia defines encryption as “the process of transforming information (called plaintext) by using an algorithm (called a cipher) to make it unreadable to anyone except those with special knowledge, commonly known as a key”.
Confused ? Just understand that encryption is a (almost) perfect way to secure your sensitive data. And today we are going to discuss how you can do that using software called TrueCrypt.
TrueCrypt is a free and open source disk encryption software for Windows that can create a virtual encrypted volume in a file and mount it like a real volume. It also encrypts entire partitions or storage devices such as USB flash drives or external hard drives. (If you find this a bit technical, just read on…everything will be clear once you go through the steps)
Here are step-by-step instructions for creating, mounting, and using a TrueCrypt volume. You must first download the application and install it on your computer.
Step 1. Launch the application. Click Create volume button.
Step 2. Now, our goal is to create a TrueCrypt volume. To create this volume, you need to create a file (container) first. The TrueCrypt drive will be in this file. To create a file select the first option ie Create an encrypted file container and click Next.
You can also choose Encrypt non-system partition/drive or Encrypt the system partition or the entire system drive optional if you want to create and use TrueCrypt Partition/Device (encrypt partition or physical drive).
In this tutorial, we will explain the first method, i.e. create an encrypted file container.
Step 3. Select Standard TrueCrypt volume and click Next.
Step 4. Now click on Select file button to select the file location. This file is like any other file and it needs some space. You can create this file anywhere on your computer.
Step 5. In this example, I will create this file in location C:\Users\Himanshu\Documents. I’ll give it a name hemanshufiles.
Step 6. Now select Encryption Algorithm from the drop-down menu. The default option is AES used by governments worldwide to secure sensitive information. So stick with that.
Step 7: Choose the size of the TrueCrypt container. You can give it any value you want and click Next.
Step 8: Enter the password of the volume. Instructions for choosing a hard-to-guess password can be found in the Volume Creation Wizard window. After choosing a good password, click Next button.
Step 9: Move the mouse randomly on the Volume Creation Wizard window for at least 30 seconds. It will increase the encryption strength of the encryption keys and hence the security will also increase.
Now choose Filesystem from the drop-down menu. Here I have selected NTFS. Now click Format button.
Step 10: It will start the process of creating TrueCrypt volume. Once the process is complete, you will see a message window as shown in the screenshot below. Click ALRIGHT button.
Step 11: A window will appear asking you to create another Truecrypt volume. Now you don’t need to create any other volume. Click Exit button.
Step 12: Now we have to mount the drive that we created on the drive letter. To do this, go to the open TrueCrypt window. If it doesn’t open then relaunch the app.
You will see a lot of drive letters. Select any given letter. Here I have selected drive H. Now click Select file to browse to the container file we created in the previous steps.
Step 13: Browse the file and select the containing file. Here I will visit the location C:\Users\Himanshu\Documents because i created container file(himanshufile) on this location.
Step 14: Everything is done. Now we have to mount the selected file (himanshufile) on drive H. To do this click on mountain button.
Step 15: It will ask you for the password you set up in step 8. Enter the password in the required field and click on it. ALRIGHT button.
Step 16: Once you enter the correct password, TrueCrypt will mount the volume on that drive. You can see the mounted volume in the screenshot below.
Step 17: It will create a virtual disk on your computer. You can easily see this disc when accessing My computer part. You can do all the things like copy, paste, delete any data in this virtual drive. It acts like a simple drive. But the data contained in this drive will be encrypted.
How to open files inside this drive
If all data is encrypted then how do you open it? You can open it when you open the file on your PC. When you open any file, it will be automatically decrypted. All decrypted data is stored on RAM. You do not need to enter the password again and again to open the files.
I want the drive to be inaccessible
You can do this by restarting your computer. The drive will automatically be unmounted and all files stored on it will be inaccessible (and encrypted).
You can also do this manually by clicking the dismount button in the TrueCrypt window. Don’t forget to select the drive you want to remove before clicking the eject button.
After removing the drive, you won’t find the virtual drive in My computer part.
How can I access my files again
You must remount the volume on the drive. To do this, repeat steps 12 through 16.
So that’s how you use TrueCrypt to encrypt your data. If you have any questions or doubts about using this software then you can ask them in the comments section.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
