Safeguard Your Data

TrueCrypt is a free and open source tool to protect your data from

unauthorized users. This tool creates a file which actually depicts a virtual

encrypted drive. This file can be mounted with TrueCrypt as a drive and can then

be worked on just like a normal drive.

The tool also allows you to encrypt full partition of a hard drive or

USB-based HDD /flash drives. You can also create hidden volume, so even if the

password is known to someone he will not be able to access the hidden data. It

also lets you encrypt the partition where Windows is installed. This means, if

someone wants to boot your machine, then he will be prompted for password. The

boot time authentication is taken care of by TrueCrypt boot loader, which

resides in the first track of the boot drive.

To create a hidden volume, click on 'Create volume'. Choose 'Create encrypted file container' and then 'hidden TrueCrypt volume' for creating hidden volume.	Select the mode of creation as 'Normal mode'. Select direct mode if you are likely to create a hidden volume inside an existing TrueCrypt volume.

Now give it a name and choose the path where the file will be created. This will be the virtual drive for TrueCrypt.	TrueCrypt allows you to choose an algorithm which will be used for encryption. You can also run benchmark for all the algorithms at one go and see which one is the best for you.

Now specify the size of the file/drive that will be created by TrueCrypt for storing the data.	Specify the password which will be required to authenticate you. The password should be of minimum 20 characters.

This tool allows you to choose different algorithms for hidden and non-hidden volumes. Here, choose the algorithm for the hidden volume.	For encrypting your system partition, first click on system and then choose 'Encrypt system partition' option and follow on screen instructions.

If only one OS is installed, choose 'single-boot' or if multiple OSes are installed, choose 'multi-boot'.	As the final step it creates a rescue disk that you need to burn onto a CD/DVD. The tool does not let you proceed further unless you create a rescue disk.