suggesting: "best encryption"

[cranky]

I'd like the list to favor applications which do not require installation like

ChoasMash
dsCrypt
OzMiff


With USB pen drives and inexpensive portable media alternatives standalone encryption is a must!


God bless you for your great free software!

[f0dder]

And, as soon as I stop hitting my head against silly lack-of-sleep bugs, you can add fSekrit to the list...

[Sentinel]

TrueCrypt is an absolute must.

http://www.truecrypt.org

[mouser]

im looking forward to fsekrit!

[nevf]

+10 for TrueCrypt. I wrote "Securing Information - TrueCrypt" at http://blog.surfulater.com/2005/06/09/securing-information which should be of interest.

[BrokenNails]

to TrueCrypt here too. I've got it running on my USB pen drive in the fashion described by these useful pages:

http://juand.ca/tutorials/usb_prot/
http://glosoli.blogspot.com/2005/09/encrypted-thumb-drive-and-autoplay.html

[imtrobin]

Truecrypt requires admin access even for usb thumbdrives, so that's not good. FolderLock (not free) can do it without admin.

[masu]

Truecrypt requires admin access even for usb thumbdrives, so that's not good. FolderLock (not free) can do it without admin.

right, but personally I still like it, because it is so easy to use.

[brotherS]

Just want to add: I'm now using f0dder's fSekrit to encrypt a few text files on my USB stick, and TrueCrypt to encrypt my external HDs. Maybe I'll even start to encrypt parts of my main HD.

[Nighted]

I prefer the exploding flash drive alternative. Less hassles.

[MrCrispy]

Would you risk encrypting a large external hard drive (300gb and above) with TrueCrypt? With an encrypted container, my fear is that a single bad sector is going to affect the entire TrueCrypt file/partition and thus my data will be los. I'd feel much more comfortable with a bunch of smaller containers, bu tthat sort of defeats the point and you are back at encrypting individual files.

[f0dder]

Iirc TrueCrypt uses CBC mode on a sector-base level, so you won't lose a full partition. Personally I'd only use small container files, and go partition-based for anything larger...

[patthecat]

I use fSekrit for encrypting text based data and use Blowfish Advanced CS for file-level encryption (multiple algorithms). 

One good feature of Blowfish Advanced CS is that it has a "work with" feature where you can decrypt a file and work with it in an associated application.  Then when you're finished with the application, the file is automatically encrypted with the decryption key and any interim files are wiped.

Blowfish Advanced CS canbe found at http://hotpixel.net/software.html
There's also a zip version so no installers needed. I just unzip and put it on my usb drive.
You can select a folder or multiple files to encrypt at once but they'll be encrypted as individual files with the same password.

I haven't yet used Truecrypt but if I do it will be for smaller container files rather than tens of gigabytes or greater containers.