Currently, data encryption features have been integrated into many popular compression tools, such as WinZip and WinRar.
These tools typically use a special algorithm to scramble the digital content of sensitive files. With this approach, even if a file is stolen, the perpetrator cannot exploit it without knowing the exact password for decryption.
However, recently, there have been numerous tools that hackers can exploit to crack these encryptions. Therefore, it may not be entirely safe to share sensitive documents encrypted with WinZip or WinRar.
Instead, you should consider using a more specialized utility, such as Free File Encryptor. The most notable advantage of this tool is its tiny size, simplicity of use, and high security, as it integrates Rijndael – one of the most complex algorithms in the world. While it may not help “reduce the size” of files like WinZip or WinRar, the value that Free File Encryptor brings to users is significant: safety and security when sharing critical data over the Internet.
After installation, Free File Encryptor will automatically integrate into the context menu of Windows Explorer. To encrypt an important file, from your desktop, right-click the Start button, select Explore, navigate to the location of the file, right-click its icon, select Encrypt… to activate the Free File Encryptor interface, set a password (to be used for decryption later) in the Password and Confirm fields, click the Encrypt button, wait until you see the message Done, and then click the Close button to complete the process. The newly encrypted file will reside in the same folder as the original file and will have the extension .enc.
Later, when you need to decrypt this file, from your desktop, right-click the Start button, select Explore, navigate to the location of the encrypted file, right-click its icon, select Decrypt… to activate the Free File Encryptor interface, enter the corresponding password in the Password field, click the Decrypt button, wait until you see the message Done, and then click the Close button to complete the process. The newly decrypted file will reside in the same folder as the encrypted file.
With a size of only 134 KB, compatible with Windows 2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista, the free version of Free File Encryptor is provided by Whiz Apps and can be downloaded here.
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