A Good Password Maker?

Hi,

I am using XP and I need to put a password on some folders.

With old Microsoft versions you could just right click and add a password,
but I can't on XP.

Can anyone tell me how it is done on XP or recommend a good passwording program?

Thanks for all your help.

not sure if this pw option is still available in XP, but you can set the access rights for folders for specific users or groups (like admin or users). I guess you have to start in secured mode as admin (or user with admin rights), right click the folder and then you have access to the security settings of that folder ( maybe you'll find some password settings there)

The password option is no longer available in XP (or Vista), you can right-click on the folder - choose properties - choose advanced - and choose encrypt contents to secure data - But that only works if you have a user-account for each user if all uses the same account (like the root account) they can all use that folder.

If it's something you really want to keep prying eyes from use Truecrypt http://www.truecrypt.org/ - then you can make a virtual encrypted disk within a file and store your files in there. There is a very good tutorial on their site - so it's quite easy. And security-wise it's almost unbreakable (unless you have access to NSA's mainframes at Fort Meade )
Trucrypt uses either AES-256, Twofish or Serpent or all three at once if your really paranoid.

You (ofcourse) have to have a good password (and not write it down) for this to make any sense. My advice would be to make a 25-30 character "pronouncable" but RANDOM and importantly NOT IN THE DICTIONARY password and memorize it. This page has a good generator for that: http://allanon.elfhame.net/apg.php

Regards

RabidSquirrel

I believe you need to use NTFS (not FAT) file system. You can convert it if necessary (backup your data first).

Here's probably what you want:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ntfs#Encrypting_File_System_.28EFS.29
to get an overview (and what to search Windows Help or internet search terms).

I would second the good opinion of Truecrypt (free and open-source). It is fairly straightforward but it's the kind of software where you must read the manual unless you're a computer whiz.

Another option you might want is to use password-protected RAR files (these are like zip files). Some thread posts on the forum use that.

PS - backup your data before doing encryption or you risk total data loss if you aren't careful.

truecrypt is fun to use for the paranoid.
You can create an encypted file, then include another hidden encypted flie within the encrypted file.
So if you're "****" to reveal your password to the encypted file, you give the top level password. The person **** you to reveal the contents is none the wiser that the further encrypted file even exists. You revealed your password and the file decrypts. Just the wrong file, so your real file stays undetected.
Paranoia is fun!

Are those passwords on that site really pronouncable?

yiessOcJiOcBoiddEgEm
LepdichCottIsbobdiej
yort^bildipyidjaymuj
oojVogoikZibleyWelAm
divOjriurkOrmayphic.
EecjoszoirOmt3TwazBy

How do I pronouce those randomly generated one's???

No these aren't really pronouncable, and neither are those I generated on that page. Last time I needed some new passwords I took the first link after I googled "pronouncable passwords" and that's also what I did now, but the ranking must have changed since then.
Well I found this one instead and those are pronouncable : http://www.webcogs.com/passwordgenerator/index.jsp Not quite as long as I would like but if you don't write them down or tell them to others - it's practically impossible to brute force it -for example an 8 character password made with 63 characters (small letters, caps, digits and space) will take about 4000 years to bruteforce on a P4 1.6 Ghz - even if you use a Phenom or an Intel i7 you are at least looking at a 1000 years of computing - so not very likely.

RabidSquirrel

You can always combine multiple 8 digit passwords. You're password strength increases exponentially with size...

flewed04sneps62peerls85

flewed
sneps
peerls

remember those three 'words' and the combo 046285

Merge together and a nasty complex password nasa will struggle with (and you'll probably forget too )

I suppose it's "just" porn you want to hide in that folder (and not rocket science) so maybe a more simple password will also do the job.
If it's porn you want to store, maybe think of an external hdd (via USB), you can hide it under your pillow and dream of it