Security specialist Sophos has released a free encryption tool for Windows systems. Sophos Free Encryption, one of several free tools from Sophos, allows users to easily encrypt and compress their files to send or store their private data using an AES encryption algorithm.
According to a blog post by Vice President of Sophos Product Management Chris Kraft, most users aren’t using anything to protect their information.
Sophos Free Encryption
Kraft advises users to never send sensitive information in the body of an email, comparing it to “a postcard sent via snail-mail – freely readable by anyone whose hands touches it in the delivery process”.
In addition to the main application interface, users can access Sophos Free Encryption features by simply right-clicking on a file or folder to activate encryption in the Windows Explorer Context menu.
The tool also integrates in to several standard email clients, such as Lotus Notes and Microsoft Outlook. While the tool is primarily aimed at “the average consumer”, it can be used for free commercially as well.
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