How to Encrypt Your Files & Folders on Windows

By: Jav Zeb Iqbal.
Last Updated: September 4, 2019.

Encryption is nothing new, from ancient Greece to the 21st century, people have devised means to keep their information secret. But nowadays, everything we do generates a data trail. Your phone tracks your location, your smart TV tracks what programs you watch, even thermostats record data. With so much information out there, every person should be concerned about their privacy and security.

By default, you can’t encrypt the files and folders in Windows to make your sensitive information private and unreadable to the unauthorized parties. Your crucial documents might comprise a financial statement, private images, business PDFs, bank logins and tax documents etc., that may become prone to identity theft if not properly encrypted or ensured otherwise.

Disk encryption programs are quite handy when it comes to encrypting the whole drive or to encrypt individual files or folders, and not the entire computer, which would be a better idea instead as it seems more focused and secured the data intended. There are lots of freeware applications that practically assist in achieving file encryption professionally.

For those who save data on Computers and are concerned about privacy, must take fitting measures to safeguard their critical data. Hackers most frequently target individual users and exploit their data to steal their identity, plant malware on their devices, or sell it to an advertiser or different party. Such typical ransomware tricks are becoming quite prevalent. The cornerstone of digital safety is encrypting your files. We’ll dive into the importance of file encryption services and how services like NordLocker can help you protect your data.

CHECK ALSO:  Ways to Fix HDD Errors and Restore Bad Sectors

Why Do I Need Encryption?

Everybody has sensitive information they need to be kept private. We all use smartphones and computers daily. We rely on them to store photos and videos, process our taxes and financial transactions, communicate with friends and family, shop, and more. There’s a common misconception that data security is only for those who “have something to hide.” Some people may even say, “That’s what you get” to people whose personal photos are leaked online. The truth is, however, that everybody’s files are a target for hackers, regardless of what they contain.

What most internet users don’t realize is that even “boring” files like Word
documents contain critical personal details. It’s not just the content of the
file but records they contain such as browsing history, IP addresses, and other
clues hackers can use against you. They have many tools in their arsenal. 

Even if criminals don’t steal your personal information, they can gain access to your computer and implant malware, like keyloggers or use your computer as a base for DDoS attacks.

Understanding Your Encryption Needs

Nowadays, more and more of our overall computing has moved to the cloud. This includes services like Dropbox, Google Drive, One Note, and others. Cloud computing is fantastically convenient. With it, you can access your files from anywhere on earth and take advantage of additional features like office suites and other apps. Users need to understand that anything you upload over the internet is susceptible to a data breach. Cybercriminals can either break into cloud accounts or find other ways to intercept data. Moreover, they can track IP addresses back to host computers.

CHECK ALSO:  How to Recognize and Avoid Work-From-Home Scam

Furthermore, any computer connected to the internet is also vulnerable. So even the data you haven’t uploaded to the cloud can be accessed by hackers through a variety of ways. In short, you must protect all your files, not just those you upload to the cloud.

How Can I Encrypt My Files?

In the past, encrypting files would have been a frustrating task for everyday internet users. Generally, you’d need special and often cumbersome software to encrypt either specific data or an entire hard drive. The process was multi-step and a bit of a headache for users on all ends. Nowadays, file encryption services like NordLocker have really simplified the process. NordLocker is very user-friendly and can be downloaded, installed, and running within just a few minutes.

Once added, all you have to do is select a file on your computer, select encrypt, and that’s it. NordLocker’s service is extremely secure, as well. It uses the latest ciphers and principles, such as AES-256, Argon2 and ECC.

How does NordLocker work?

NordLocker is a tool ideal for local file encryption as its primary function is securing files. It also operates under a “zero-knowledge encryption process.” So hackers will have no way of decrypting or unlocking your data — it’s actual end-to-end encryption.

It also provides a protected file sharing service. In the past, hackers could intercept files in transmission. With this program, you can set specific invites and privileged access to data and be sure only the target recipient gets it. Finally, you can use it as password protection for online accounts as well as a security tool for freelancing, programming, business, and other types of sensitive work.

Keep Your Files Safe With NordLocker

The only times we hear about data breaches are when hackers target significant companies or government institutions. In reality, the vast majority of all cyber-attacks occur to everyday internet users. Hackers target sensitive personal information like financial statements, personal identification numbers, medical records, etc. They employ a variety of techniques, including identity theft, malware, and ransomware to exploit people.

CHECK ALSO:  How Did Ukraine Use the Crypto Donations? 

However, with a file encryption service like NordLocker, you arm yourself with one of the most secure technologies on the planet. You can easily encrypt your files, keeping hackers out and ensuring only you have access to them. Best of all, it’s intuitive and easy to use, which means that you get both security and convenience all in one package.

 

Author’s Bio

Jav Zeb is a young and spirited British author with expertise in the tutorial writing and product reviewing. She has completed AAT from London School of Business and Finance, Birmingham. Interests: Drawing, Painting, Blog Writing, Interior Decor, and Reading. Living in: Erdington, Birmingham, West Midlands, UK. You may reach her at [email protected].

 

Author

Last Updated By on September 4th, 2019 in Learning

Add Comment