14 DAY TRIAL // Cryptographic-related features, such as encryption algorithms (e.g. DESX 128, Blowfish 448, Triple-DES 192, Twofish 256), self-decrypting executables, scrambled email text or chat messages, password-protected files and directories, file shredder, RSA key and password generator, may scare off less experienced users and trick them into thinking that these protection measures can be handled only by professionals.
Not only does Advanced Encryption Package 2014 Professional integrate all of the aforementioned encryption capabilities, but it also provides a simple-to-work-with environment where you can encrypt/decrypt data. Additionally, it gives you the possibility to generate ZIP archives.
Whether you share your computer with multiple users and need to encrypt your private files or need to make sure that confidential data is not accessed by unauthorized users, this application comes with all the right tools for helping you encrypt sensitive data using powerful algorithms and delete files without leaving room for possible recovery scenarios using dedicated utilities.
The program gives you the possibility to test its features for 30 days and you can purchase a license for $49.96/€39.60.
Intuitive layout
Advanced Encryption Package 2014 Professional adopts a straightforward approach and integrates a clean layout. Although the user interface doesn’t look quite modern and follow the flat UI trends, its intuitive features leave no room for additional questions about how to use and decode them.
There’s support for several skins that help you alter the appearance of the utility. You can preview the available skins as well as download and install the preferred ones directly from application’s panel.
A file tree (it looks like an Explorer-like layout) is implemented for helping you easily browse throughout the partitions and directories detected on your computer. You may select all folders in order to make the utility automatically encrypt all files included in the current directory.
Several handy buttons are embedded in the right part of the file tree for helping you activate the main features of the program, namely encrypt/decrypt files/folders, create SFX files or ZIP archives, delete or wipe out data, and email files via your default client. When clicking on one of the aforementioned parameters, the tool reveals dedicated parameters for each one.
What’s more, it lets you apply filters for showing only the desired items in the file tree (items can be filtered by file extensions) and set the output folder for the processed files. A log is displayed at the bottom of the main windows showing information about tasks and possible errors.
Advanced Encryption Package 2014 Professional offers support for context menu integration so you can easily encrypt/decrypt files, wipe items or create an SFX file. You can also run the program in the command-line console, which can be opened from the Tools menu.
Encryption/decryption options and SFX creation capabilities
The encryption of a file can be done in a few easy steps. You need to select the file or directory that you want to process, set up a password or add a public key, insert a riddle (it helps you remember the password in case you forget or lose it), and choose between a multitude of encryption algorithms, namely DESX 128, Blowfish 448, CAST 256, Triple-DES 192, RC2 1024, Diamond 2 2048, Tea 128, Safer 128, 3-Way 96, GOST 256, Shark 128, Square 128, Skipjack 80, Twofish 256, MARS (IBM) 448 or Serpent 256.
Additionally, you are allowed to choose what to do with the source file (delete it at the end of the encryption process or securely wipe it from your system) and enable the “Pack” feature for compressing files before encrypting them.
The utility also includes a password indicator for lettings you know how strong your password is. In order to obtain hard-to-break passwords, you need to enter different characters, digits and different case letters.
The decryption process is carried out by providing the correct password and selecting the suitable action applied to the encrypted files, namely keep or delete them after the decryption.
Self-extracting archives can be created in order to send encrypted files to other users that do not have Advanced Encryption Package 2014 Professional installed on their system. You may insert comments, and in order to open the SFX file, you need to provide the correct password.
PKI manager
Advanced Encryption Package 2014 Professional allows you to create a new key pair by selecting the saving directory, adding a key comment (file name prefix), picking the cryptography key length from several preset values, and protecting the private key using a password and encryption algorithm.
The tool also includes a random data generator (RSA key generator) and helps you pick the mixing hash function from several preset options. You only need to move the mouse randomly within a dedicated window in order to generate scrambled data.
The PKI manager keeps track of all created public keys, reveals information about them (filename, strength and path), and lets you delete, rename or send the public keys via email.
The application helps you store all your encryption passwords on a USB flash drive, and you only need to remember a single master password.
File archives and deletion options
ZIP archives can be created by selecting the items that you want to include and choose what to do with the source files, namely keep, delete or wipe them.
When it comes to deleting or wiping files, the app also reveals information about the left and remaining time, speed, elapsed and left bytes, as well as total bytes. Additionally, you may unzip files, send them as attachments via your default email client, create new directories and view file properties.
Text encryption, password generator and Clipboard Encryptor
The program helps you calculate the file size of a given folder or file (the information is revealed in the log panel) and encrypt user-defined text messages which are password-protected. Additionally, you can copy the scrambled text messages (which are no longer understandable) to the clipboard and close the wizard at the end of the encryption.
The encryption text feature ensures that your text messages are encoded to BASE64 string. The tool is also able to remember the used passwords if you activate the ‘Cache password’ option.
You can send text securely via email or instant messaging chat clients (e.g. ICQ, AOL Messenger). In order to read the message, the receiver must enter the correct password. You can also protect text messages with the aid of key files.
A password generator is also included on the feature list. You can generate random passwords and include upper or lower case characters, decimal digits, punctuation marks and special characters, as well as pick the desired password length.
The Clipboard Encryptor is a special tool included in the package. It is not activated when you run the program so you need to manually launch it. This small encryption utility can be found sitting quietly in the system tray and gives you the possibility to enable global hotkeys for encrypting/decrypting text from clipboard. Additionally, you can make it run at Windows startup.
Configuration settings
There’s support for file tweaking parameters that help you keep the date for encrypted files, show system and hidden items, sort filenames by extension in the file tree, mark encrypted files as hidden after encryption, save used passwords in a custom directory, as well as disable the compression process for several custom file types (e.g. ZIP, CAB, RAR).
What’s more, you can encrypt the program by setting up a master password and ask for the password at every startup, show password and confirmation text, clear password and confirmation text after encryption, reveal the file size and delete/wipe warnings, display the log dialog after encryption/decryption, show additional information about the real allocated disk space, log all events to a file, and launch the tray agent at Windows startup.
The password indicator can also be configured by changing the PQ indicator to red for passwords found in the internal dictionary as well as weak passwords. Additionally, you can make the utility prevent you from using passwords detected as weak or found in the dictionary, and alter the pattern used for establishing if a password is weak or not.
When it comes to secure deletion options, you can process NTFS alternate stream and NTFS compressed, encrypted and sparsed files, wipe filenames and process tip of last file cluster. Plus, you are given the freedom to select the preferred wiping algorithm from several options, such as Peter Gutmann, DoD 5200.28-STD, VSITR, Bruce Schneier, NATO Data Destruction Standard and GOST P50739-95. If you opt for the Peter Gutmann algorithm, which includes 35 passes, the application needs extra time to finish the task.
You can also make the application play sound notifications after actions that take a lot of time (you may define the time in seconds) and import WAV files from your computer.
The Good
In most cases, applications that deal with security features need extra time to encrypt data with powerful algorithms and delete files permanently from your computer. This is not the case with Advanced Encryption Package 2014 Professional. It is quite outstanding how fast it is able to encrypt files/folders and wipe out sensitive information.
The Bad
Another bug was detected when trying to close the dedicated panel used for enabling hotkeys from the Clipboard Encryptor. The Exit button doesn’t work and you are required to cancel the process in order to close the opened panel. The same bug appears when trying to close the Startup Options window of the Clipboard Encryptor.
The tool offers support for batch processing, but it doesn’t give you possibility to manually select multiple files and directories. You can only pick the folder that includes the items that you want to process, and the app automatically encrypts each file/document comprised in the selected directory.
