Security and privacy are two of the most important issues in today's world; leaving passwords on sticky notes around your computer simply will not cut it anymore. Data Guardian is a secure database application with up to 448-bits of Blowfish encryption — regardless of how sensitive your data is. Create multiple databases in Data Guardian for a variety of purposes such as an address book, customer database, Christmas shopping list, journal, password manager, or even notepad.

Easily create categories to store records, and even apply custom color labels and icons! Change the view options for each category to see the information you want, and even add your own custom data fields. Do not be stuck with a program which forces you to input your information into predefined fields. Enter the data you need to, not what you are forced to.

Aside from Data Guardian's easy to use Keychain integration* to autofill passwords on web sites, it also offers a variety of other tools and features to enhance each record. Dial phone numbers through your modem with a single click, create new e-mail messages, generate secure passwords (based on an algorithm of your choosing), and even synchronize two databases.

Data Guardian is the ultimate database solution, and not only if security is a priority. Allow it to become your computerized Swiss Army Knife in an age of digital chaos.

Download Data Guardian 1.4 in Softonic

Crypt4Free (freeware) is file encryption software with the ability to encrypt files and text messages. The application contains support for ZIP files and ability to securely delete sensitive files, as well as a skinnable user-friendly interface.

Features of the app:

• Easy-to-use
• Skin support (one free skin in standard downloadable package)
• Encrypts every kind of file on every kind of medium, whether floppy disk, removable hard drive, zip drive, tape drive or other
• Full .ZIP support - Crypt4Free can browse for existing .zip archives, extract its contents and even create new .zip archives
• Built-in files compression to reduce size in transmission
• Ability to send encrypted files and messages via the internet
• Ability to encrypt email text (or any other text message) to send it securely via e-mail, chat, or instant messengers like ICQ, AOL Messenger, Microsoft Messenger etc. The recipent must enter the password to read this message
• No "back door" in the software - No access possible under any circumstances. If you do not remember the password you cannot access the encrypted contents. There is no special procedure, secret code, or hidden entry method to fall back on
• Built-in file shredder - i.e. wiping the contents of the original pre-encrypted file

Download Crypt4Free 4.7.6 in Softonic

Encryption of files is essential if you're trying to protect sensitive data or are sharing a computer with other people.

The program can automatically encrypt or decrypt, files and folders according to a speicific schedule and methods include secret keys, public keys and private keys. It also features options to define OpenPGP passwords and OpenPGP public and private keys. You can create profiles to allow you to quickly encrypt and decrypt files according to the level you need - a higb encryption profile for work related files and lowr profile for social and leisure etc. The program works with zipped and compressed files and even supports copying and duplication based on
wildcard or random selection of files. The interface is nothing special but its the sheer range of password encryption methods on offer that really impresses. However, there's nothing here that really helps beginners to encryption so it's probably better for those who know what they're doing.

For a powerful and comprehensive encryption tool, AutoKrypt is better than most although it's not suitable for beginners.

Download AutoKrypt 8.05 in Softonic

EncryptOnClick is a program that lets you securely encrypt and decrypt files. EncryptOnClick is like hiring your own highly experienced data security guard who ensures the files you want to keep safe and out of view from others stay that way. The program is very simple to use and features military grade 256-bit AES encryption.

Download EncryptOnClick 1.2.0.8 in Softonic

Sending files securely is a growing concern with an increasing number of potential threats to your privacy lurking on the net.

The problem is that whenever you download software to encrypt data, the recipient then has to download something to open the files. Not so with Silver Key however - just right-click the file or folder you wish to send and select the “Create EXE Parcel” command. The program then compresses and encrypts your data but crucially, adds a small decryptor. The person on the receiving end can use this decrypter so unpack the files and read whatever is within them. Of course, it still requires the installation of the Silver Key utility but at least it's very quick, small and doesn't require visiting any websites to get it. The developers are so confident in the security of their product that they recommend it for corporate users. However, it may be a good idea to add the Silver Key Shell to create more advanced parcels which can create more powerful encryption packages.

This is a powerful encryption solution. Unfortunately it still does require installation of a decrypter but it's much less hassle than others.

Download Silver Key 3.5 in Softonic

If you're on the move regularly or your hard drive is accessible by third parties, it's always vulnerable to attack.

One way to prevent possible compromises of your security is by encrypting data. TrueCrypt aims to do this by allowing you to encrypt data "on-the-fly". This means that data is automatically encrypted or decrypted immediately before they are loaded or saved without any input required from you. Nothing can be encrypted or decrypted without using the correct password or encryption keys. This encryption extends to entire file systems such as file names, folder names, file contents, free disk space etc. The good thing about this particular program is that it doesn't get in the way of you dragging and dropping files. Some encryption programmes that work on-the-fly prevent you from doing so easily or add a delay to the transfer but that's not the case with TrueCrypt. The other good thing is that TrueCrypt never saves any decrypted data to a disk – it only stores them temporarily in your RAM which is far more secure because when you restart Windows or turn off your computer, the volume will be dismounted and files stored in it will be inaccessible and still encrypted. The interface is a bit bland but at least it's simple enough to follow and not full of complicated encryption jargon.

A very solid encryption tool although the fact that it's open source means that it's vulnerable to modification which could compromise encryptions.

Download TrueCrypt 5.1a in Softonic

BestCrypt creates and supports encrypted virtual disks, which are visible as regular disks with corresponding drive letters (for example, D:, K:, Z:, i.e. with any drive letter that is not used by another system device).

The data stored on a BestCrypt disk is stored in the container file. A container is a file, so it is possible to backup a container, move or copy it to other disk (CD-ROM or network, for instance) and continue to access your encrypted data using BestCrypt.

Any free drive letter in the system may be used to mount and to open an encrypted file-container for access. When the virtual disk is opened, you can read and write data as if it were a conventional removable disk.

Download BestCrypt 8.04.2 in Softonic

PalCrypt is an easy to use encrypter which ensures that your files are protected against unauthorised access by password.

You have two choices to protect files. Simply right-click on any file and press "Encrypt with PalCrypt 2.1.1.9" to encrypt it from Windows Explorer. Alternatively you can run the PalCrypt Quick Start program and encrypt/decrypt any file from there. The developers claim that it has been developed to resist even the fiercest attacks. The program has, according to them, been developed with "special techniques" to avoid brute-force attacks and automated attempts to retrieve a password. However, they warn users that the IDEA 128-bit key encryption is so strong that they can't help users that have lost or misplaced passwords. The best thing about this program is it's accessibility - it's completely integrated into Windows shell so it's always on hand whatever you are doing.

An easy and simple to use file encrypter although there's no recovery tool for if you lose your passwords so be careful!

Download PalCrypt 2.1.1.9 in Softonic

The credentials of Flash Crypt are certainly pretty impressive with the developers promising it allows you to "lock any folder on your computer with a couple of mouse clicks with military-grade 256-bit AES algorithm guaranteeing the highest level of data protection."

While there must be a touch of sales talk in there, it's certainly a very secure program. There seems to be very recorded cases of the program being cracked and it feels like a very solid and secure package from the start. If you're not convinced, then checkout the opinion of the US government who say that the encryption method used by Flash Crypt "is sufficient to protect classified information up to TOP SECRET level."

Whatever the strength of the encryption, it's certainly very easy to use which is one of the most important things. It's also ideal for those on the move because you can copy encrypted folders to another disk, flash drive, CD-ROM or by email - without having the program installed on any of the these external mediums - and the data will remain protected. And if you're worried about password loss, FlashCrypt has a special option that lets you save the encrypted password along with the protected data. The developers assure that the asymmetric cryptography used means that not even they are able to crack it, once it's applied.

An extremely powerful product that, if lives up to the hype, is suitable for most sensitive kind of data.

Download FlashCrypt 1.0 beta in Softonic

AxCrypt is free and easy to use open source strong file encryption for Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2K/XP, integrated with Windows Explorer. Encrypt, compress, decrypt, wipe, view and edit with a few mouse clicks. Cryptographic primitives are AES-128 and SHA-1. For programmers and system administrators, there is also a command line interface callable from batch files, scripts and other programming languages.

Download AxCrypt 1.6.4 in Softonic

Encrypt My Information allows you to hide folders and encrypt files with on-the-fly AES encryption. Just create one or more encrypted secure folders from local folders and move your sensitive files into these specified folders and they will be encrypted/decrypted in real-time. You can work with the files as usual, and when you finish, lock the secure folder, which will store the files securely and also hide the entire folder from view.

Download Encrypt My Information 3.091 in Softonic

If you're worried about the safety of your documents you should start using some encryption method to protect them.

PixelCryptor is probably one of the best options for your first steps into encryption. It enables you to protect your private documents by combining them into a package that is then encrypted with any photo of your choice.

The pixel data contained in this photo is what the program uses to protect your documents, by creating almost endless, hacker-proof combinations. And whenever you want to decrypt your documents, simply open the package with your documents and select the picture you used to encrypt it.

PixelCryptor may not offer as many security options and encryption methods as other tools, but it's very easy to use and probably the best choice for encryption newbies. On the downside, anyone who you're sending encrypted data too will need to have it installed.

PixelCryptor is a fairly basic encryption tool, mainly addressed at novice users, which uses images to encrypt confidential data.

Download PixelCryptor 1.1 in Softonic

If you want to stop anyone from accessing your protected files, then the best way is still via encryption.

Encrypt Easy facilitates this task with a very simple menu and an endless list of encryption methods. Like all good easy to use program, it is integrated into the context menu of Windows, so with a click of the right mouse button you can encrypt and decrypt. The only difficulty is remembering the password you've chosen which if you're encrypting numerous files, can become rather a lot. Encrypt Easy also includes other utilities including a self extracting utility, which enables the user to transmit encrypted files and then decrypt them without using the Encrypt Easy program. There's also a handy file shredder which enables you to remove files permanently from your hard drive with no chance of recovery. Finally, there's also Encrypt Easy's wipe-out utility which removes any trace of your surfing activity.

If you combine the use of all this utilities, then Encrypt Easy offers a remarkably secure and simple way to surf, shred and protect files.

Download Encrypt Easy 3.2 in Softonic

Unencrypted data is always a risk - whether it’s business or personal data, hackers can easily gain access to data on your PC via your internet connection.

Alternatively, if your PC gets stolen or you leave your laptop somewhere temporarily, unauthorised users can gain access to your files. The same goes for USB sticks which are even easier to misplace. Deleting data is not even 100% secure because data can always be recovered by someone who knows what they are doing. With all these threats in mind Steganos Safe is designed to make encryption easy for those with little know how. You can create as many safes as you want on drives of up to 256GB in size. You can also do this to your iPod, USB sticks, mobile phone and even digital camera. Probably the nicest feature is that you don't need to remember passwords ever again. With Steganos PicPass, you can open your Safe with a picture sequence but make sure you've got a good enough memory because it's like playing spot the difference! In addition, there's Steganos Portable Safe which transforms your USB-Stick or iPod into portable Safes which you can open with the help of a driver that comes with it. You also have the possibility to burn encrypted archives onto CDs, DVDs or DVD-DLs. For e-mail, there's also a Mail Client Safe to encrypt e-mails, contacts, calendar and tasks including your Outlook, Outlook Express or Windows Mail. Finally, Steganos Data Shredder deletes all unwanted data for ever for ultimate security.

A highly powerful encryption solution for those that need a guaranteed security package whether at home or on the move.

Download Steganos Safe 2008 in Softonic

BCArchive is a compressing and archiving tool that has been especially designed for all those security paranoids out there. It enables to create archives and keep them away from prying eyes with encryption and password protection.

The program is very easy to use. In fact, you don't need to open it: simply right click on the files you want to archive and select the appropriate option in the context menu. Plus, the program enables you to select the kind of encryption method you want to use. The whole procedure is simple and fast. Just remember to use strong passwords, because if you keep on using your own name as your universal password, programs like BCArchive are simply useless.

My only complaint about this app is that self-extracting files don't seem to work. After creating one, I tried to open it on another PC without having BCArchive installed and all I got was an error message.

A great tool to protect private data in compressed encrypted archives.

Download BCArchive 1.08.6 in Softonic

Many people share their computer at work or at home and thus have documents or files that they don't want anyone to see. Steganos Safe One is basically a simpler version of Steganos Safe to create encrypted virtual disks to store any document.

Although it is not in Spanish, it's easy to use and has a highly graphical interface. At the same time, it provides multiple configuration options. You can increase or decrease the size of the virtual disk, save it to an iPod or a USB memory and activate it manually. Amongst the other options are the possibility to use a password or a matrix of images or symbols. In the first case, Steganos Safe One can show the security level of the selected password.

Being a scaled down version of a commercial program has limitations with regard to his older brother, as the discs do not exceed 1GB but this is still a great program.

Download Steganos Safe One 10.0 in Softonic

Omziff is a straightforward encryption utility that uses various cryptographic algorithms to encrypt and decrypt textual files. These algorithms include: Blowfish, Cast128, Gost, IDEA, Misty1, Rijndael, and Twofish. It also generates random passwords, and offers simple file shredding. It is freeware, comes in a standalone executable file with no dependencies.

Download Omziff 3.0.9.5 in Softonic

There are all sorts of scallywags out there that, given half a chance, would love to snoop on the files on your computer and the emails you send and receive. Luckily though, it's pretty easy to protect yourself, especially if you use cGeep. The app encrypts personal information quickly from the file menu of Windows Explorer using a list of passwords that you enters into the database program.

It has two main functions: to encrypt and decrypt files and emails. Compatibility with Outlook and many other clients, cGeep can send encrypted messages with a single click and receive correspondence equally safely. The utility makes things ultra safe by using a double password system, implementing both a public and private key.

Encrypting files and emails in cGeep can be done with a single click, making this one of the easiest security tools you'll find.

Download cGeep Free 3.0.4a in Softonic

The system mounts a volume file to create a "virtual drive" that appears to applications like any other physical drive. User needs to enter a password to mount this container file as drive and can unmount it instantly by pressing special hot key. This PRO version additionally allows you to mount the container file that is stored on another computer over a local network. Encrypted drive can also be shared between local network users.

The data stored on a CryptoExpert disk is stored in the container file. A container is an usual file (but strongly encrypted), so it is possible to backup a container, move or copy it to other disk (CD-ROM or network, for instance) and continue to access your encrypted data using CryptoExpert. Any free drive letter (or choosen letter) in the system may be used to mount and to open an encrypted file-container for access.

Download CryptoExpert 2007 Pro 7.1.0 in Softonic

Sadly, data theft is an incresingly common crime these days and there are plenty of digital bandits who would be only to willing to pilfer your files for juicy information. Aside from learning the finer points of cryptography yourself, you could install Paragon Encrypted Disk to create 'images' in which data is encoded.

These images can be either 'mounted' or 'unmounted'. When a disk is mounted, it means it is active and you can use it like any other local disk, copying files and folders, and creating and editing new files. The difference is that the disk is totally encrypted with powerful algorithms, which are completly transparent, leaving you free to get on with your work without having to worry about the data being unsecured.

When you unmount a disk it means its contents are completly unaccessible anymore. You can then write this container file to any compact media such as a CD, DVD or USB stick and always carry the encrypted disk with you without fear of someone getting hold of your data if you lose it. Thanks to a series of wizards, the program is simple to operate and performs the necessary encryption pretty quickly.

Download Paragon Encrypted Disk SE 3 in Softonic