Folders are great because they help you to better organize all of the files on your computer, such as images, music, videos, and documents. However, there may be times when you have sensitive items on your computer that you want to keep away from prying eyes. So, how do you protect yourself in situations like this? It’s actually pretty easy with an app like Espionage.
Espionage is a state-of-the-art folder encryption tool for your Mac that can secure your folders. It has a simple, easy-to-use interface, which is sure to save you time. Just drag-and-drop your folders and you’re pretty much done.
One of the great things about Espionage is that it uses powerful AES-256 encryption. This is the same type of encryption used to protect top secret classified information and documents. So, you can rest assure that your folders are safe and secure on your Mac.
Set Up Espionage
First, you’ll need to download Espionage 3 from its official website. Espionage is not free (current cost $29.99), but it does come with a 14-day free trial. This is more than enough time for you to see if it’s worth purchasing. In my opinion, it’s definitely well-worth the price since its service is lifesaving and invaluable.
When you run Espionage for the first time, you’ll be greeted by the Setup Assistant. Click “Next” to get started. On the next screen, click on “Next” and then click on “Agree” to agree to the License Agreement.
You’ll need to create a strong master password. Be sure to use something unique because this is the password you’ll use to view your secured folders. The password strength indicator will let you know if your password is weak, good or strong.
Once you click on “Next,” you can choose to start Espionage when you log into your computer. It’s recommended that you choose “yes” here.
This time when you click on “Next,” Espionage will ask for permission to access your contacts.
On the final screen of the Setup Assistant, you can subscribe to the Espionage monthly newsletter; if you do, you’ll be informed about security and new products.
Secure Your Folders with Espionage
Now that you’re done with the Setup Assistant, it’s time to secure your folders. You should see the Espionage lock icon on your menu bar. Click on it to bring up the Espionage window, where you’ll need to enter your master password; this small window is where all of the magic happens.
When you unlock Espionage, you’ll then be able to drag-and-drop the folders that you want to encrypt. After dragging a folder to the window, the encryption process will begin and you’ll see a progress bar and timer for that specific folder.
What Espionage does here is create a secure disk image of the folder and then moves the original folder to the trash. So, when you go to the original folder’s location in Finder, it will be empty.
Upon completion, the folder will be locked – the blue switch on the right side will turn off; clicking on the switch again will unlock the folder. To see more information about the folder, click on the information (“i”) icon to the right of the folder. Here you can also decrypt the folder, create folder actions, adjust its size, choose an auto-lock time, and more.
To view an encrypted folder, you must first unlock it from the folder list (click the switch to unlock) and then double click on it. The folder will open up in Finder. When you’re done, you can manually lock the folder or wait for it to automatically lock (depending on your custom settings).
The Espionage window will also automatically lock after a certain amount of time, which you can customize in preferences – click on the gear icon at the bottom right corner of the window to go to preferences.
As you can see, Espionage is an extremely useful app that can boost the security of your Mac’s folders. Everything is done from the menu bar, making it a breeze to use. If at any time you change your mind about a folder, you can just as easily decrypt it and return it back to its original location. Simple.
If you’re worried about prying eyes, give Espionage a try!
Charnita has been a Freelance Writer & Professional Blogger since 2008. As an early adopter she loves trying out new apps and services. As a Windows, Mac, Linux and iOS user, she has a great love for bleeding edge technology. You can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn.
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