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InformationWeek > Fred Langa > Langa Letter: Easy Encryption > June 2, 2003: "Langa Letter: Easy Encryption June 2, 2003
Fred Langa looks at the universe of products that help you protect sensitive files and data from prying eyes and hackers.
By Fred Langa
A recent change in federal privacy laws is causing huge numbers of IT departments to examine the steps they take to keep data secure. Although the specific law affects organizations that store or process medical records--hospitals, insurance companies, human-resource departments, and so on--the change actually touches on an even larger issue, that of keeping any kind of private information truly private, as this reader letter suggests: ...."
"The tool I use most is File2File, a free Windows utility by Cryptomathic. Like many current encryption tools, it uses AES, the "Advanced Encryption Standard" with a 128-bit key. Assuming you use a good passphrase--no less than seven characters long, containing at least one number and one symbol character (e.g., punctuation), not containing your name or user name or any simple variation thereof, and not a common word or name (nothing found in a dictionary)--128-bit AES provides reasonable security for most routine needs. (For more information on generating secure passwords. see the resources at Passphrase FAQs or see the section called "Passwords And Availability" on page two of XP Professional's "Remote Control".) Cryptomathic also offers many other security tools, including more advanced E-security suites and toolboxes. "
InformationWeek > Fred Langa > Langa Letter: Easy Encryption > June 2, 2003: "Langa Letter: Easy Encryption June 2, 2003
Fred Langa looks at the universe of products that help you protect sensitive files and data from prying eyes and hackers.
By Fred Langa
A recent change in federal privacy laws is causing huge numbers of IT departments to examine the steps they take to keep data secure. Although the specific law affects organizations that store or process medical records--hospitals, insurance companies, human-resource departments, and so on--the change actually touches on an even larger issue, that of keeping any kind of private information truly private, as this reader letter suggests: ...."
"The tool I use most is File2File, a free Windows utility by Cryptomathic. Like many current encryption tools, it uses AES, the "Advanced Encryption Standard" with a 128-bit key. Assuming you use a good passphrase--no less than seven characters long, containing at least one number and one symbol character (e.g., punctuation), not containing your name or user name or any simple variation thereof, and not a common word or name (nothing found in a dictionary)--128-bit AES provides reasonable security for most routine needs. (For more information on generating secure passwords. see the resources at Passphrase FAQs or see the section called "Passwords And Availability" on page two of XP Professional's "Remote Control".) Cryptomathic also offers many other security tools, including more advanced E-security suites and toolboxes. "