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Fast File Encryption for Windows?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the speed-over-security dept.

cryptoz wonders: "I've used numerous encryption applications for both Windows and Linux over the past few years and have always been satisfied. Until I realized I needed to start encrypting large files (say 10 to 30 GiB), or at least a large number of small(er) files. I found that everything I use seems to take hours and hours to compress, encrypt and shred. Not to mention decompressing, decrypting and deleting on the other end. Every web search I do on the topic seems to turn up mostly closed-source applications or snake oil, neither of which is acceptable. Does Slashdot have any suggestions for fast file encryption? I should make it clear that in my particular case, I do not need to have a perfect key or incredibly secure encryption, since it is not the weakest link (as I am susceptible to hardware key-loggers, CRT eavesdropping and the like). The encryption needs to be just strong enough, but most importantly, *fast*." This is a worthwhile question, but when dealing with files in the 10s of GB, can anything really be considered to be "fast"?

3 of 117 comments (clear)

  1. Another nod for Truecrypt by cptgrudge · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Personally, I used truecrypt on Windows before I moved to Ubuntu, and use the same now, though it's a little more work to get it running. It looks like you've used it before, though. I'm not sure why truecrypt wouldn't work.

    As far as shredding files goes, that isn't really connected with the encryption process, but more to your hard disk speed. Writing random bits to a 10-30 GiB file is going to take a while no matter what program you use.

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  2. Hardware acceleration. by wild_berry · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I suggest getting some hardware acceleration: the VIA EPIA boards use electrical interference in their traces to suppy entropy to a hardware encrypt/decrypt enginge that can achieve 25 Gb/s encryption. This is a 1.0GHz passively-cooled board with SATA ports, hardware MPEG2 decoding and all on a 17x17 cm^2 board.

  3. Re:SureCrypt (freeWare) by ortholattice · · Score: 3, Interesting

    How I am to know that 10 years from now my archived files won't be permanently lost because the closed-source SureCrypt no longer runs on the then-current Windows? This is one of several reasons I wouldn't touch a closed-source encryption program with a 10-foot pole. (Other reasons include no assurance of encryption strength and no assurance that there isn't a backdoor key. Plus it won't run on Linux, and afaik has no command-line interface for scripting even on Windows.)