I was looking at software to protect and encrypt some files etc so that I can access it at work and also to keep sensitive information secure on my trading computer I did a Google search and Cryptainer looks good Any body got any experience with this and other encryption software? What are the overheads on resources ? Anything I need to be careful of? TIA
truecrypt.org I use it all the time. It's free and very, very good. As of version 5.0, you can even do whole disk encryption. That was something you used to have to pay for.
Have been using Truecrypt for many, many years. Nice thing is that you cna use it without installing so that you can out it on an USB key and get to your data on a computer where it is not installed. Had a commercial one before but Truecrypt rules. way to go! Maria
Why Encryption ? There is virtually no privacy on almost all desktop's today. Privacy that we take for granted in the real world does not exist on a computer. Privacy, as we understand it from the real world does not exist on your PC. With very little or no effort, all data is accessible to any number to people - from family and co-workers to system administrators and hackers. Your computer can be attacked by anybody. There is absolutely no privacy on most desktop machines. Why? Because today you have no choice but to connect your machine to your internal network as well as to the rest of the world when connected to the internet. There is almost no machine in the world that is not connected. With such connectivity comes total vulnerability. Encryption is the only way to protect your important data. Encryption renders your data, even if accessed by an unauthorized person, unintelligible and unusable. By adopting the simplest prevention techniques, you can ensure complete data privacy. This is where encryption comes in, it encrypts and protects data where it is created- the PC. Safe from hackers? A ten year old sitting half way across the world could be stealing your data as you read this. Hacking no longer requires experts. There are literally thousands of off-the-shelf programs available on the Internet that are as easy to use as the software packages you are so familiar with. Anyone, even a child with limited or no computer know-how, can use these packages to hack into your systems. There is no defined, requisite learning curve - the amount of knowledge or background essential to be an "effective hacker" is virtually zero. Safe while surfing? Not by a long shot... Did you know that even looking at a malicious web page exposes your computer to attacks. Hidden scripts on malicious web pages, that activate while surfing the Net, can pick up files from your hard drive and render them vulnerable by putting them at the hacker's mercy. Safe when merely sending mail? Not really, read on⦠Going online to check your mail itself exposes your machine to being hacked. It is possible to 'wiretap' somebody's email, so all your future correspondence is now in the hacker's in box as well. Safe offline? The PC is accessible on the network. Even if one is careful and has taken reasonable precautions (disable Sharing for example), there are enough documented security loopholes that make it relatively easily to bypass such measures. Consider another method of protection that we sometimes use. Passwords within programs (Word, Excel, Access, etc.). These can be can be broken by mere novices without any computing knowledge. Such password breaking tools are easily available on the internet for as little as $5.95, or sometimes even for free!
Can encryption work for programs that are runnin? If I write a script for a commercially available automated trading package for example, can it be encrypted and still fully operable?
Encrypted volumes such as those in truecrypt are mounted as drive letters in Windoze. You can install apps into directories on the encrypted volume, though I'm not sure why you'd do that. Encryption is usually for data, not programs.
I'm new to this, I just copied the info from the cryptainer site. http://www.cypherix.com/cryptainerle/online_help/index.html Which ever one you go for it seems relatively easy, free or very small cost for some decent protection, considering the line of work we are in, if you are running some automated trading system etc
Looks like truecrypt is clear winner. Another question arises : anyone working for your broker/clearing firm/exchange has full access to your trading history. Computer technicians definitely, also support people, mail handlers, anyone. Assuming 1% of all traders are profitable, all they have to do is to locate these profitable accounts, look at their trades and reverse engineer their trading system. Show me your trades - I will decipher your trading secrets in no time. How do you protect against this?