Security is an important aspect of digital life. It becomes even more important when people are using a shared computer with a single account. Most of the families do not have multiple accounts for each member of the family and enforcing limited access to confidential data could be a difficult task. In this case, the Windows encryption and security will not work for everyone. Folder level password security is required in this case.
We have already reviewed several encryption utilities which can encrypt a folder and it won’t be visible until you mount it properly with the correct password. Today I will show you another similar security software which can password protect individual folders but with much more options than any other software we have reviewed before.
A+ Folder Locker is a software to lock access to any folder or drive using password protection or pattern protection. Pattern protection is a feature that is common in Android but I have never seen it in a Windows application. Other features like Stealth mode, virtual keyboard and hide & disguise make A+ Folder Locker much more robust and secure. It also includes a file shredder which will delete files such that they can’t be recovered any more.
Installation
The installation of A+ Folder Locker is quite simple and does not require any configuration. The only thing is that you will need to restart your computer once the installation completes, otherwise the software will not run properly.
A+ Folder Locker comes with quite an intuitive interface. All the tools and options can be accessed from the left hand pane while the right hand pane will display the details about the selected item.
Usage
You will first need to create a locker in order to protect it using A+ Folder Locker. To create a new locker, expand Lockers menu from the left hand pane and select “Create New Locker”. You will need to enter a locker name, category, location and the maximum size of the locker. Make sure that you enter the size of the locker with care as it can not be changed after the locker has been created.
On the next screen, you can choose the compression level of the locker. If you want high performance from the locker, do not enable compression. Otherwise, choose whatever suits you.
On the next screen, you will be able to configure the locker security. There are two options here. First you can select the encryption method. A lot of encryption methods are supported by A+ Folder Locker including 3DES which is default. Secondly, you’ll need to choose between whether you want to protect the locker with a text password or a pattern password. If you select pattern password, you’ll be taken to a pattern screen where you can create a new pattern for protecting the locker.
On the next screen, you’ll be able to configure the anti-hacking protection for your locker. Anti-hacker protection means that the locker will self destruct if an incorrect password or pattern is entered a specified number of times. This is a very sensitive setting and should always be configured with care. In case it is enabled, you may lose your data permanently if anyone tries to hack into your locker again and again.
Creating and managing a locker is the main feature of A+ Folder Locker. The pluses are that you get a few more useful features like data concealing and shredding. Data concealing means that you can hide any file within an image file.
Do you use any password protection or encryption utility for protecting your data? Which protection methods do you use? Will you try A+ Folder Locker? Please share your thoughts and experiences with us in comments below.
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Usman is a technology enthusiast and loves tweaking Microsoft products. In addition to MakeTechEasier, he contributes regularly to iTechtics.com.
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