crypture.it: encrypt your sensitive data into pictures

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25-05-2013

Working smart and being organized in your work is important but all your efforts get wasted if you are unable to protect your confidential information.

JulienRio.com: crypture.it: encrypt your sensitive data into pictures

A few months ago I presented you a tool called "i-list.it" that enabled you to organize your task in an efficient way.

Today, I would like to introduce another "free-tool" that can make your life easier and your work more efficient.

The problem

Each day you can find news about data being hacked and spread on the net. The recent stories of WikiLeaks, Gmail hacked  and the Anonymous show one thing: even the largest corporations fail in protecting their secrets and there is no way to be perfectly safe and to protect your information.

However, there are several parameters that increase the risks such as poor passwords usage and high level of sharing.

Platforms such as Facebook encourage you to share your entire life with your community, making it available on the internet. Services such as dropbox also enable you to store your data online, making it open to anyone who would like to take up the challenge of breaking into your files. The era of cloud computing makes the risk of getting your data stolen much higher.

The first step for data safety is to be careful: did you know that all the documents your print are stored in your printer's internal hard-disk? Anyone opening your printer after you got rid of it could potentially retrieve all the documents you have printed in the past few years! I am B explains the problem and shows how important can data safety be for a company.

There are plenty of documents that would require special precautions from your side. Those could be password lists, company information, budget data or even personal letters you don't want people to look at.

 JulienRio.com: crypture.it: encrypt your sensitive data into pictures

Solution to encrypting your data

Out there, there are plenty of ways to protect you sensitive information. Among those you could find:

Password protected documents

Most document creation software (such as Microsoft Office pack or Open Office) provide you with the opportunity to password protect your files.

That can be an easy and quick solution for protecting most files. However, a quick search on Google might show you that there are also plenty of software available online that will break such protections, leaving your highly confidential data open to anyone.

 

Protected Zip files

This second option is already safer than the first one. Most compression software offer their users to password protect their data. Also, this service usually comes with an encryption protocol that makes password breaking more difficult.

Simply group your files in a folder then zip it choosing a "password option". 7zip is an open source software that will provide you with such possibility. On top of it, your files will be compressed and therefore easier to store or send out.

 

Protected disk

For Mac users, protecting a zip file with a password isn't an easy task. Most software won't offer this possibility and an alternative is necessary. Luckily, there is a fairly easy way to protect your data on Mac: create a virtual disk that requires password to be opened. This solution is pretty safe and works in a very similar way with zip files. Mac Security gives some good advice on how to proceed.

 

Encryption tools

The web is full of free software enabling you to encrypt a file, a picture or a disk. Some of those are efficient, others are easy to break - read online reviews carefully before picking one.  

Whether you want it to be web-based or local is a choice only you can make. Just make sure - if you choose to go for a web-based solution - that your files are not stored on their platform: that would be the best way to compromise your own confidentiality!

 

What is crypture.it

crypture.it is a free web-based encryption service. Its name comes from "crypt" and "picture": crypture.

JulienRio.com: crypture.it: encrypt your sensitive data into pictures

The concept is very simple: on one side you have confidential data and on the other side you have a picture. crypture.it enables you to hide this data "inside" the picture.

With a password you will be able to protect your sensitive information inside the picture and retrieve it when necessary. Bellow's video gives you an introduction to the tool and how to use it.

 

 

When is it necessary?

Protecting your computer should be a standard rule whenever other people could access it.

Protecting your personal files is essential if those are accessible elsewhere than on your computer.

 JulienRio.com: crypture.it: encrypt your sensitive data into pictures

For example, if you send some very important information through the internet (via a server for example), host it on a platform (forum, social media, etc.) or send it through email, you MUST encrypt your data properly. It is the only way you have to reduce the risk that the data being intercepted could be read and used against you.

 

Why is crypture.it better than most encrypting software?

crypture.it is a very safe solution for your data.

In terms of encryption power or safety, it might not be as efficient as the leaders of the market.

However, crypture.it is from far the safest encryption method for a simple reason: no-one would ever think about looking for your sensitive information inside a picture!

Here we found the main issue with protected documents, zipped folders or encrypted files: they might be very well protected and encrypted, but their main weakness is that this is the first place someone looking for secret data would look.

As a thief would start looking for the safe, a hacker would start breaking into your protected folders.

But who would think about looking for data hidden in a picture among other photos?

The real strength of crypture.it is that it keeps your data not only safe and encrypted but also completely hidden from others!

 JulienRio.com: crypture.it: encrypt your sensitive data into pictures

Try it now, it is free, and share your comments with us!

http://www.crypture.it

 

Julien Rio.

Last update: 2024-03-26 Tags:

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