HidePro

HidePro is a tiny and powerful tool which can password-protect your files. This type of software is recommended the moment you share you computer with multiple users, since it prevents them from viewing your personal data.

This is a portable piece of application, so installing HidePro is not necessary. It means that you can store the app on a USB flash drive or any other removable device, save it to any computer and directly run its executable file.

You can carry HidePro with you whenever you're on the move. Plus, the Windows Registry is not updated with new entries, and no leftover files can be found on the hard drive after program removal.

The interface of the application is based on a standard window where you can import items for encryption by using only the file browser, since the 'drag and drop' method is not supported.

Before initializing the encryption procedure, you may make the app compress the file, wipe the source file and test the result, as well as include a password verification option, CRC, and build a self-decrypt output file (with the EXE format). From the 'Options' tab you can pick the algorithm and cypher mode, switch to a different language for the interface, make file associations, establish the Windows temporary path, as well as enable the 3-pass wiping mode.

The program requires a very low amount of system resources, so it shouldn't put a strain on the computer. It has a good response time, finishes a job briefly and didn't freeze, crash or pop up error dialogs throughout our evaluation. There's also a help file available. On the downside, the interface needs some major improvements in the visual department. But we must take into account the fact that HidePro has not been updated for a very long time.