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Those of you who need to encrypt data may have a closer look at
F-Secure at http://www.datafellows.com
Their product is *free* for academic use, it works under Windows
3.x/95/NT, has a military grade, 256 bits Blowfish/DES encryption,
allows multitasking (runs in the background), has a useful 'Make
Encrypted Package' (autoexecutable) function, secure deletion of
files, automatic encryption of subdirectories, etc. all of which
may be run from the right button of the mouse.
All in all: A highly useful, free package (which has won several
European Security awards for it's incrackability, easy of use,
design and not the least it's price for academic use).
WARNING: If you are up to use encryption software, read the
documentation **very carefully** and test the package ***before***
encrypting critical files. I suggest that you only use the 'Make
Encrypted Package' function if you are not familiarized with
encryption keys. Try to choose a good pass phrase such as something
which may only make sense to you: For example,
'auntseulaliasfunnygreyparrot', etc.
Below [1] information about the program is included. Cheers, APS.
[1] F-Secure Desktop's Encryption Technology
F-Secure Desktop is designed with two objectives in mind: ease of
use and top security. The ease of use comes from the fact that the
files to be kept confidential are transparently encrypted/decrypted
when starting and closing your Windows session. You kn] ow that
your information is safe whenever you have logged out in a normal
fashion. Top security is provided with state-of-the-art encryption
technology. F-Secure Desktop uses a fast well-known public
block-cipher encryption algorithm called Blowfish. Blowfish was
designed specifically for 32-bit computers by Bruce Schneier, a well
known] cryptography author. The Blowfish encryption algorithm has
lasted several years of public cryptanalysis and reviews in numerous
cryptography conferences.
F-Secure Desktop uses Blowfish with 256-bit encryption keys
generated using a cryptographically strong random number generator.
During installation a master key is generated for access to all
encrypted files. This master key is used to encrypt a random
encryption key, generated for each file at the beginning of the
encryption process. Each encrypted file contains two sets of
encrypted information; the random encryption key encrypted with the
master key and the original file contents encrypted using the random
encryption key.
To decrypt the file, first the random encryption key is recovered
using the master key. The random encryption key can then be used to
restore the original file in an unencrypted format.
The master key is never stored unprotected on your hard disk. It is
encrypted using a 256-bit key generated from the userAEs passphrase.
Blowfish is again used to encrypt the master key.
Data Fellows Ltd.
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eof
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Aldo-Pier Solari <[log in to unmask]>, Fish.Res.Gr./ULP
H-page: http://segate.sunet.se/fish-ecology/aps/index.html
Oath: 'I will not fail those with whom I serve'
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