There are no such old days left when the memory in gigabyte byte was enough to store almost every kind of important file. Nowadays, an average computer is having more than a million files in it and users are having memory in Terabytes. Each and every day billions of files are sharing from one system to another.
The files we shared or kept in our system are full of data. The data inside those files can be any type, it can be a presentation file or your credentials. Even somehow your bank account detail and credit card info are also saved into some file if you used to do shopping using that system.
If you remember those autofill when you are about to type your credentials in the website login box. It gives you the option to fill those boxes automatically. So, that data is saved somewhere on your computer that is why it’s popping up to help you. But what when someone Stole the data and use it for any suspicious activity.
FileVault is undoubtedly one of the best free encryption software for Mac available for users of Mac OS X Lion (version 10.7) or later. The program is designed to be easy to use and performs on-the-fly encryption and decryption with volumes on Mac devices. Once the FileVault is turned on, it allows you to create a master password. Go Anywhere OpenPGP Studio is a free, cross platform PGP encryption software for Windows, Mac, Linux, etc. It is a free desktop tool that allows you to protect sensitive files, folders, etc. Conventional encryption methods use a single key or password to encrypt the information, while this PGP encryptor uses much safer dual-key (asymmetric) system. The 21.7 version of MacSonik PDF Encryption for Mac is available as a free download on our software library. The most recent installation package that can be downloaded is 113.7 MB in size. The actual developer of this software for Mac is MacSonik. Our antivirus analysis shows that this Mac download is clean. Free Mac Os File Encryption Software – GnuPG. This is comprehensive file encryption software and comes with great features and technology to encrypt files. It can encrypt and sign data and communication. It allows accessing modules and enables integration with other applications.
Whoever stole your data and if he used it for the wrong deed then it would be a big problem for you. To prevent such situation you must have to Encrypt your data using some encryption software.The good part about these Softwares is that you don’t have to be an expert when you are about to dig into encryption stuff.
The Encryption software will do the task automatically for you within few clicks and this task can be done easily by a normal computer user. We have listed some best encryption software so you will be secure with your data. Once your data is encrypted using this encryption software, you don’t have to worry about any person reading or stealing your files. They can’t get access or read your data without having the password.
1. AES Crypt
AES Crypt is an Open Source Software for File Encryption. You can Encrypt your data files using this software. This software allows you to encrypt your important document or other various types of files. You can not encrypt any folder or hard drive using this software however you can use this to encrypt multiple files at once.
Working with AES Crypt for file encryption is very easy, in windows, you can easily encrypt a file just by right clicking and choosing the option of AES Crypt to do its task. In MacOS you can just drag and drop the file into the software area and it will do the rest by itself. The only thing you have to worry about is providing a password and after setting the appropriate password and the data inside will be safe. This Software is using 256-bit encryption algorithm. This is a reliable, trusted and completely open source encryption software to use.
Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS
2. VeraCrypt
VeraCrypt is a free open source Encryption software that is supported on Windows, Mac, and Linux. VeraCrypt is developed by IDRIX.
Using VeraCrypt you can Encrypt anentire partition or storage device, it can be a hard drive partition or USB flash drive. It uses hardware acceleration to speed up the process 4-8 times faster.
With its enhanced security algorithm, it is almost impossible to gain access to files without having a password. Your Windows OS contains lot of signification amount of data such as your location, your name, the applications you run etc. This all kind of information can be easily handled and stored safely using VerraCrypt.
Compatibility: Windows. MacOS, Linux
3. Comodo Disk Encryption
If your computer is full of important data and you don’t want to encrypt each file separately then we will recommend you to use Comodo VerCrypt. This is specialized for encrypting your hard drive partition. It gives you two methods to secure your important data.
Either you can use each hard drive partition separately and encrypt your very important data or you can just mount the virtual partition of your hard drive.
With a number of great features, you can encrypt your files with ease. The encryption process can be done in two different authentication types, it can be using password or USB stick. This software also allows you to add the spare layer of security.
Compatibility: Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP
4. CipherShed
CipherShed is a free open source encryption software. It is used for encrypting files and hard drives, it can be USB flash drive or any external hard disk drive. After finishing the encryption process you can share your files and data without any worry, from one system to another.
This is very secured software for this task. Thus this is an open source software so if you are a programmer who wants to contribute to this amazing software than you can do it from its official site. Since it is Windows, Mac, and Linux based so it makes it very popular around these Operating Systems.
Compatibility: Windows, MacOS, Linux
5. 7-Zip
7-Zip provides Strong AES-256 encryption which is pretty strong to encrypt and secure your personal data. This is very lightweight software to use. 7-Zip is mostly used for compression of the file but it has this amazing feature of encryption as well. Same as CipherShed it is also available for contribution if you can edit the code to make it more usable and excellent.
It uses Standard BWT, LZ77-based algorithm. 7-Zip is supported by these applications as well: WinRAR, PowerArchiver, TUGZip, and IZArc.
Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux
5. BitLocker
On the list of Microsoft’s Windows features or inbuilt tools, Bitlocker is known as one of the inbuilt tools for data encryption.
It provides you most protection when it used with the Trusted Platform Module that is simply known as TMP. In addition to security features, it also provides an option to lock normal startup process until a PIN provided to it. You can just simply encrypt your hard drives usinBitLocker. To access and using the amazing encryption features of BitLocker you can just simply search this in your windows search bar.
Compatibility: Windows 10, 8, 7
The rate of cybercrimes such as identity thefts has increased a lot in the past couple of years. Hackers have become quite proficient at what they do and are coming up with malware that’s pretty easy to sneak into target computers and mobile phones. Once their tools are in, they gain unsolicited access to target’s personal files such as pictures, videos, sensitive data such as credit card information and bank details, and so much more. We rarely bother to acknowledge this risk while filling up our digital devices with data of all sort.
Fortunately, many people and even organizations have realized this looming threat and have deployed encryption software to keep their data safe. However, there are still people and companies that are either not aware of the problem, or they simply don’t know how encryption tools protect against snoops and which one they should opt for.
To spread awareness and offer guidance, we have outlined some basic information about them and have detailed the best encryption tools for all major platforms.
What Exactly is an Encryption Software?
Encryption software turns every bit of information into an unintelligible code, which cannot be read unless it’s decrypted. Encryption software comes equipped with algorithms that transform accessible data into encoded information, hence keeping it safe from the prying eyes. Even if malware sneaks in and gets its hand on your personal data, it will not be able to take anything because all the information would be hidden.
Organizations all over the globe are utilizing services of multiple encryption software in this regard, but as a newcomer, it can be a bit difficult to find the right tool. Every operating system works differently, so there’s different encryption software for them, and finding the right one can be quite a hassle.
No need to worry though because we have outlined the best solutions available on each platform so you can your hands on them with ease.
Best Encryption Software for Windows
Let’s quickly go through some of the best encryption tools for Microsoft’s flagship for PCs.
BitLocker
If you want security on your Windows PC, then you should opt for BitLocker. It uses Advanced Encryption Standard “AES” as a security measure which is widely tested by the experts and is regarded as one of the best tools for optimization and security. BitLocker doesn’t half-ass things – it encrypts all of your hard drive in one go. This means that all of the data presented on your hard drive would be encrypted and safe from the prying eyes.
InterCrypto
However, if you don’t like the looks of BitLocker, there’s no need to worry because you can go for InterCrypto. It is a bit expensive solution but it comes with 17 encryption algorithms, which more than guarantees safety of your data and personal information. If you can afford this tool, then we would highly suggest going for it because it will really keep a lid on your data.
Folder Lock
Folder Lock is known worldwide because of its safety measures. There’s a reason for its success. It encrypts your data and hides it in the storage where it can only be accessed by the people who know the password. Every file that you put through this tool will get encrypted and will be kept safe from the prying eyes of government agencies and hackers.
Best Encryption Software for Mac
Now let’s take the direction of our discussion towards Mac, Apple’s prolific desktop OS that certainly isn’t invulnerable to hacking threat. Here are a few available options to ensure the security of your data on it.
Concealer
Mac users should go with Concealer encryption software. It is a fantastic encryption tool, but the only problem that we struggled to overlook was the omission of bulk encryption option. As a result, you have to manually select files that you want to be encrypted. Once you know which of your files need to be hidden, just select them and put them in Concealer software. The encryption process will begin and it will take a few seconds to encrypt the data. Once the process is complete, you can rest easy because all of your information is now safe.
VeraCrypt
If Concealer doesn’t tickle your fancy, then maybe you should give VeraCrypt a shot. It’s available for free and allows you to encrypt any file you want to protect from snoops. If you don’t want to go through the hassle of manually encrypting each file, then there’s a feature that enables you to encrypt the whole hard drive. Encrypting the hard disk is surely going to take some time, but all of your data will be safe, so it’s worth it.
FileVault
FileVault encryption software is another remarkable tool that does its job quite well. If both of the aforementioned solutions don’t do the trick for you, then you can give this one a shot. Everything that you encrypt using this tool will gain protection against federal snoops and cyber criminals.
Best Encryption Software for Android
If you’re an Android user, then you’d be glad to know that there are plenty of encryption apps available for the platform as well.
SSE Universal Encryption App
SSE for Android has been around for quite a while and it has managed to survive this long because of its amazing features. It can secure all forms of files, can make your lost password retrievable, helps you to share files without having to expose any sensitive information and a whole lot more. It’s a great tool for Android users if they are looking to enhance their security measures.
Signal for Android
If you are less worried about your data and are more concerned with communication’s privacy, then you should seek help from Signal app. It’s pretty secure and will encrypt each and everything done through the platform.
File Encryption For Mac
Crypt4All Lite
If both of the aforementioned apps don’t do the trick for you, then you can opt for Crypt4All Lite. This app can be used to encrypt all your personal information and sensitive data so that it stays hidden from the prying eyes. It works well and is quite user-friendly which means that you can get used to it in no time.
Best Encryption Software for iOS
Looking to secure your data on an iOS device, specifically an iPhone? Don’t worry, there are quite a few options available to cater to your needs.
Signal for iPhone
Things have started to heat up between FBI and Apple, so it’s better to be prepared for the worst case scenario. You will definitely need encryption software if FBI wins, and the best tool for such circumstances is Signal. Edward Snowden loves this app and you will too once you get your hands on it. It encrypts all the data that is sent or received through this software, hence providing safe passage for it. More importantly, it keeps your conversations encrypted as well. So any communication you do through the Signal app will be safe from the FBI or any other party keeping tabs on your mobile activities.
Silent Phone
Silent Phone is another great option for keeping your data encrypted. It offers secure file transfer, calling, video calling, voicemail, and conference calls. The only problem with it is that it doesn’t encrypt your instant messages. So, if you rely on calls only, then Silent Phone is your best bet because of its call related security algorithms, and easy to understand user interface.
Confide
Free Encryption For Android
If you are strictly into messaging and want your conversations to be extremely secure, then we’d suggest going with Confide. This app is downright fantastic. It comes with end to end encryption for all of your messages, hence preventing all sorts of attacks. That’s not all though as this app also features ephemeral messages, which disappear as soon as they are read by the intended individual. These messages can’t be saved, forwarded, and no one can even take a screenshot of them. So if you’re looking for messaging security, your best bet is Confide.