Keep Files Private

• If you want to encrypt the contents of an individual file or directory,

• Windows XP Pro will do the trick, provided you enable NTFS on your hard drive.

• To encrypt a file, right-click on it to bring up the Properties window.

 Click on the Advanced button, then in the Advanced Attributes dialog box click on Encrypt contents to secure data. 

• This will encrypt the file (using either DES, which employs a 56-bit key on each 64-bit block of data, or 3DES, which uses a 56-bit key three times on each 64-bit block of data), and it will provide a certificate just for you. 

• This certificate is key; if you reinstall Windows or otherwise lose your user account, your access to the encrypted files will be gone, too.

• You need to export your certificates to back them up: For detailed instructions, search on export certificate in Windows Help.

• Windows XP does not require you to enter your password when you open the encrypted file. 

• Once you log on to a session, encrypted files are available for you—and anyone who walks up to your system—to view.

• Windows XP Home doesn't support this method. Both XP Home and XP Pro, however, let you create password-protected compressed files. 

• To do this, right-click on the desired file and choose Send To | Compressed (zipped) Folder.

• Open the resulting folder and select Add a Password from the File menu; delete the original file. 

• Note that this encryption is relatively weak. It should dissuade casual users but won't put up much of a fight against someone determined to hack it apart.