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Monday 18 June 2012

Encrypt and Password Protect Text Files for Free

            A free utility called Omziff allows you to do this providing a way to encrypt a text file using common, secure cryptographic algorithms.

You can also use Omziff to generate random passwords, split files, and delete files using file shredding according to Department of Defense standards.

Download Omziff from http://www.brothersoft.com/omziff-62924.html.

Installing Omziff

Omziff does not need to be installed. Just unzip the file and run Omziff.exe.

Encrypting a File

The Encrypt and Decrypt File screen displays by default when you open Omziff.

Encrypt and Decrypt File screen in Omziff


Select an algorithm to use when encrypting the file from the Choose Algorithm drop-down list.

NOTE: Be sure to remember which algorithm you chose. You must choose the same algorithm when decrypting the file.

To select a file to encrypt, click the folder button to the right of the Choose Input File edit box.

Selecting a file to encrypt


The Open dialog box displays. Select the file you want to encrypt and click Open.

Open dialog box

Use the folder button to the right of the Choose Output File edit box to display the Open dialog box again. Select a location for the encrypted file, specify the filename and click Open to fill in the path and filename in the Choose Output File edit box.

Specifying the name of the Output File


If you want to assign a password to the encrypted file enter one in the Enter Passphrase/Password edit box. You can use Omziff to generate a random password. See the Generating a Password section below.

NOTE: This is an optional step, but a password provides more security. If you don’t apply a password to the encrypted file, anyone can use Omziff to decrypt your file.

By default, your password is masked in the edit box. If you want to see the text of the password as you are typing it, click the Show password check box.

Click the Encrypt button to encrypt the file. A dialog box displays telling you the file has been encrypted and reminding you of the path to your encrypted file and the algorithm used to encrypt it. Click OK to close the dialog box.

05_success_dialog

Decrypting a File

Decrypting a file is similar to encrypting a file. Make sure the Encrypt and Decrypt File screen is active. If it is not, click the Encrypt File option on the Tools menu.

Select the same algorithm used to encrypt the file in the Choose Algorithm drop-down list.

Decrypting a file

Select the encrypted file in the Choose Input File edit box and specify a path and filename for the decrypted file in the Choose Output File edit box. If a password was assigned to the encrypted file, enter it in the Enter Passphrase/Password edit box. Click Decrypt.

Generating a Password

Omziff can generate random passwords from 3 to 20 characters in length created from letters only, numbers only, and a combination of letters and numbers. To use Omziff to generate a password, click the Generate Password option on the Tools menu.

Omziff Tools menu

On the Random Password Generator screen, select one of the radio buttons in the Options box to specify what to include in the password.

Omziff Random Password Generator

Enter the number of characters you want in the password in the No. of Chars edit box. You can also use the up and down arrow buttons to select a number.

Click Generate. The password displays in the Generate Random Password edit box.

If you want to save the password to a text, file click the disk button to the right of the No. of Chars edit box.

Saving the password to a text file

In the Save As dialog box, select a location for the file and specify a filename. Click Save.

Saving a password to a text file

To reverse the order of the password, click the Reverse button. Click the button again to put the password back to its original state.

Reversing the password

Click the Copy button to copy the password to the clipboard for pasting into another application or file. Of course, you should be careful where you paste and store the password if you are going to use it for logins and for protecting private, sensitive files.




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