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Encrypt your files or delete them securely with DataProtect Free

Ashwin
Aug 16, 2020
Updated • Aug 20, 2020
Software, Windows software
|
6

Encrypting your files with a password is an effective way to protect sensitive documents from data theft. Even if someone gains access to your data, they won't be able to use it without the encryption key (unless they can break it).

Encrypt your files or delete them securely with DataProtect Free

DataProtect Free is a user-friendly program which can secure your files. It also comes with a shredding tool.

The application displays a splash window before loading its interface. Once it starts, it prompts you to create a password when you run it, this is to prevent unauthorized use of the software. You don't have to do set the password right away, as a matter of fact it is completely optional.

DataProtect free first run

DataProtect Free has a four-pane interface with the following options: Encrypt Data, Passwords, Secure Delete and Configuration. Clicking on one of these panes opens a pop-up window with various options.

Configuration

Let's begin by setting up the program. The first thing you may want to do is set up a password for the encryption process. Click on the icon next to the floppy disk, to set a new anti-keylogin password, and save the settings. You'll need to input when starting the program. You may delete the password from the configuration window.

DataProtect Free uses a personal key file to encrypt and decrypt your data. It is stored in the .Key format, and can be saved to any folder of your choice. The saved key can be restored in case you switch to a different computer.

Encrypt Data

This is the core feature of DataProtect Free, and is used to encrypt files with a password. The browse icon on the right-hand side can be used to navigate to the location of the files that you want to encrypt. Once you have selected the files, the utility displays them as a list in the large pane.

DataProtect free encrypt files

Note: Check the "Encrypted" box to re-encrypt files. The program warns you that this could corrupt the data, so it maybe a good idea not to enable the option.

Use the buttons on the right side of the screen to add or remove files from the list, or to open the selected file. Click on the padlock icon to encrypt the data. The box near the bottom will indicate the status of the process when it has been completed, it serves as a confirmation that the selected files were encrypted. The encrypted files are stored with the ECF extension format. To decrypt the files, add them to the list and hit the unlocked padlock icon.

Passwords

This is a password manager and it is based on PassFinder, another software from the same developer. You'll need to enter a description, the URL and username of each login manually.

Dataprotect free passfinder

The tool can be used to save existing passwords, or you can use it to create a new secure password. It's a fairly basic program, and the only other option it has allows you to set the length of the created passwords.

Secure Delete

Want to ensure that files you delete are not recoverable? DataProtect Free's Secure Delete tool can shred files securely. It does so by overwriting the data multiple times. The icons on the right, and the status bar at the bottom are similar to the one in the "Encrypt Files" window. Set the number of times the data should be overwritten by entering a number in the text box near the top of the window.

DataProtect free secure delete

Hit the bin icon at the top of the window to Secure Delete the selected files. Click Ok in the warning window, to proceed with the deletion. A progress bar appears below the list pane, as the program shreds the files. The round button (next to the bin icon) at the top can be used to cancel the deletion, but you'll have to be quick.

Encrypt your fiDataProtect free secure deletedles or delete them securely with DataProtect Free

DataProtect is available in a Pro (premium) version. The description on the official page isn't exactly helpful, and from what I can tell it includes PassFinder Pro, but the rest of the features appears to be the same. The German version of the website mentions that DataProtect Free (and Pro) uses an AES 256-bit encryption algorithm to secure the files.

Dataprotect free encryption AES 256 bit

A few elements of the program's interface are in German, but 99% of the GUI is in English.

Closing Words

Protecting individual files can be useful even if you encrypt the entire system using VeraCrypt or similar programs. Sometimes, you may need to host individual files online or transfer them, and it may also act as a second line of defense for important files.

The program's interface looks like it is stuck in a time long forgotten and the lack of a proper help may leave some questions unanswered. Still, the program does what it claims to do.

Summary
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Author Rating
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Software Name
DataProtect Free
Operating System
Windows
Software Category
Security
Price
Free
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Comments

  1. Giorgos said on August 20, 2020 at 11:25 am
    Reply

    Never-ever, trust closed source programs, for a so serious (critical?) task.
    Use Veracrypt instead.

    If you’re in the mood, for an encrypted directory (instead of volume), use Dokany driver and Cppcryptsfs.

    https://dokan-dev.github.io/
    https://github.com/bailey27/cppcryptfs

    Latest releases for Win64:
    https://github.com/dokan-dev/dokany/releases/tag/v1.4.0.1000
    The installer is: DokanSetup.exe

    https://github.com/bailey27/cppcryptfs/releases/tag/1.4.3.0
    The executable is: cppcryptfs.exe.
    ———————————————-

    For Linux, you can use Sirikali (with repository available) and a good option for backend is Gocryptfs (with static binary available).

    https://mhogomchungu.github.io/sirikali/
    https://nuetzlich.net/gocryptfs/

  2. an said on August 18, 2020 at 10:03 pm
    Reply

    If it wasn’t for the white windows flat title bar, I would have thought I was in a time machine, it was was 2005. GUI reminds me of something that could have been made Delphi or Visual Basic 6.
    Thanks for the memories OP. However, in this day and age, if it involves privacy, security, and especially encryption….1. Anything Microsoft Windows related, is a no go for me. But I guess more importantly, since it involves encryption…..then 2. It must be open sourced in order for me to even consider trying it. I’d never trust a piece of closed source software that deals with my data, to not have some kind of back door… not have an independent security audit assessment.

  3. Tom Brady said on August 18, 2020 at 3:08 pm
    Reply

    Looked a simple, functional piece of software. But Norton checked the file on download, said it wasn’t safe and deleted it !

  4. VoletMoon said on August 16, 2020 at 4:19 pm
    Reply

    Oh, man! Great UI and features–what more can one want.

    Another good find.

    Thanks!

  5. Anonymous said on August 16, 2020 at 12:52 pm
    Reply

    hm, closed source and encryption, so no one knows how good or bad stuff is implemented (keeping aside any backdoor thoughts) .. i much prefer something like aescrypt as its open source, even if it has less features.

    1. owl said on August 21, 2020 at 9:50 am
      Reply

      I am also the same opinion.
      When exchanging files and folders with others using e-mail or cloud storage, I am using “AES Crypt”.
      AES Crypt – Advanced File Encryption |
      https://www.aescrypt.com/
      AES: Advanced Encryption Standard | Wikipedia
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Encryption_Standard

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