TrueCrypt TrueCrypt provides free open-source disk encryption software for Windows 7/Vista/XP, Mac OS X, and Linux. It creates a virtual disk that is entirely encrypted (including file names, folder names, contents of every file, allocation tables, free space, meta data, ect.) and mounts as if it was a real disk. It can encrypt an entire partition or storage device such as a USB flash drive or hard drive. The encryption is automatic, fast, and transparent to the user. You can copy files and folders to and from a mounted TrueCrypt volume just like you would normally do. Keep in mind that after you drag-and-drop all your sensitive data into your TrueCrypt volume, you should securely erase the original unencrypted files. TrueCrypt does not save any decrypted data to a disk rather it only stores data temporarily in RAM (memory). Go to the Internet and enter the URL www.truecrypt.org Download the latest version which at this writing is TrueCrypt Setup 7.1a.exe (3.3 MB) .

Follow the default installation procedures to install TrueCrypt. Start TrueCrypt and click No when asked to view the tutorial. The main TrueCrypt window appears. Click on the Create Volume button.

You have three options. A TrueCrypt volume can reside in a file (called a Container), in a partition or drive. A TrueCrypt container can be moved, copied, and deleted like a normal file. Click Next.

Click Next.

Click Select File…

Change the directory path to your Desktop. In the file name box enter TrueCrypt Encrypted Volume. Click Save

Click Next.

Click Next.

Enter 1 MB for the Volume Size. Click Next.

Read and then create and confirm a secure password.

Move your mouse randomly within the Volume Creation Wizard

window for at least 30 seconds. The longer you scribble , the better. This significantly increases the cryptographic strength of the encryption keys (which increases security). Click Format.

Click OK.

Click Exit.

Now you will mount the container as a volume. Select the X: drive letter by clicking on it. Click Select File.

Navigate to the Desktop folder and click on TrueCrypt Encrypted Volume. Click Open.

Click Mount.

Enter your Password and click OK.

You can view the successfully mounted volume.

Create a file in Wordpad.

Save as TrueCrypt Encrypted in the TrueCrypt container you created.

Access your container in the X: drive and open the document TrueCrypt Encrypted. It is just as fast as opening up the unencrypted version. Important: Note that when you open a file stored on a TrueCrypt volume (or when you write/copy a file to/from the TrueCrypt volume) you will not be asked to enter the password again. You need to enter the correct password only when mounting the volume. In order to close the volume and make your files inaccessible click Dismount.

Exit.