14 DAY TRIAL // Portability is strictly related to security. It has to be. The moment you buy yourself a notebook or another portable device of this kind, you start protecting it, or at least you should. Be it from online attacks, the funny looking guy at the next table or just from the forgetfulness that characterizes you, the notebook has to be safe and live another day to serve you. Even that cushion-like case the manufacturer provides you with is made for protecting it.
But I suppose you know how to protect the device, so I'll go a little further with protecting your data. Regarding this, there is never enough protection and there will always be an access door cracked to your files. It's only up to the one attempting to push it open and if he has the necessary means and skills to do it.
With all the issues and the boos, Vista manages to provide a very good alternative to securing the contents of a notebook, or PC via BitLocker technology that is able to encrypt entire drives. Sometimes you do not need that amount of force just to safekeep a few MB of information. And sometimes that BitLocker technology is not available to you.
Alternatives for encrypting your files are all over the place on the Internet and lately it seems that more and more of them are freeware. My favorite in this sense is TruCrypt but some of you may find it difficult to harness.
Anyway, if you need an easy solution for encrypting data, give Omziff a try. Besides the fact that it is freeware, it is also portable, so you can put it on a USB stick and roam with it from computer to computer without leaving a trace. Also, it comes with more than encryption solutions as it is equipped with different other tools.
A straightforward interface displays all the functions available, from file encryption to utilities like creating bogus files, or accessing Command Prompt, generating random numbers or Run box. All of them are extremely easy to use and a Help file to make your way would really have been superfluous.
The first function is encryption, which, of course, comes with its counter part, decryption. Users will invest little effort into the operation as Omziff will do all the hard work. The seven encryption algorithms available (Twofish, AES, CAST-128, GOST, IDEA, Misty-1 and Blowfish) provide enough choices for securing the files while the process itself is simple enough for anyone. Just select the input file and choose an output destination, enter a desired password and that is it.
Unfortunately, you will have to delete the original file yourself as the application will not do it for you. Also, as a piece of advice, you should always remember the algorithm used for encrypting each of the files. Omziff will not give you any clue on this and the task falls in your hands. More than this, if the incorrect algorithm is chosen upon decryption, you will receive a warning saying that the password is incorrect.
If you are afraid of not inputting the passphrase correctly, the application allows viewing the countersign with a single click of a button.
Just in case you fall short of a password, Omziff has included a password generator. It is not state of the art, but it can supply you with a passphrase of up to twenty characters, combining both letters and numbers. There is no scrambling option, but you can choose to reverse it for better security. If it is too difficult for you to remember (I wonder why?) you can save it to a TXT file on your computer or choose to copy it to clipboard and paste it in a password manager of your choice (Password Safe is portable and free)
File shredder is another utility Omziff makes available. Although it seems quite harmless, the tool is pretty powerful. The process can take up to 25 passes when overwriting shredded file and it will also rename it. Testing its capabilities with a file recovery software resulted in no trace of the eliminated file. For an easier process, there is support for drag and drop of multiple items.
The process may take a while depending on the amount of data to be shredded and the number of passes, but the computer will be operational and all the files properly deleted.
Next in line is the file splitter featured by Omziff. It is an easy way to chop the files up for sending via email. You have simple options to deal with: define the segment size of the file choose the file and press Go. Omziff will do all the rest. Re-uniting them is as effortless an operation as splitting.
The fifth tool included in this 400KB program may be a bit complicated for some users. It is a file hash creator. There are three algorithms available (Haval, SHA1 and RipeMD-160) and the output can be copied to clipboard and pasted wherever you want. Sure the process is swift and from what I have seen it did not generate hash collisions.
Last in the list is the Utilities section which provides more means for hiding your files like appending a file at the end of another or making decoy files with a user defined number of bytes or the random number generator. Used properly these all can lead to a better security of your files. Decoy files created with Omziff look like binary files and can make for good distractors.
The application has few flaws (ability to encrypt folders is one of them) and it is extremely easy to use. If you add to it the fact that it is free and portable then you've got yourself a treat. There are no hidden options and everything is out into the open.
The Good
Omziff does require minimum effort from the user and will carry out all the hard work. It is portable and takes little space so you can take it with you on a USB stick with absolutely no problems (all the settings are preserved in its directory).
Although it weighs very little (about 400KB), it is more like a suite of applications as it comes with password generator, file hash creator, multiple encryption algorithms, secure deletion options as well as a file splitter and joiner.
The Bad
It cannot encrypt folders, not to mention entire drives. Another downside is that users will have to remember the password and encryption algorithm used for securing each file, but this is just for security reasons and it is not such a baddie after all.
The Truth
Great application to put on a memory stick. Very easy to use, handy and small. While working with it, users make the minimum effort as the app does it all, and quite fast for its size.
Omziff brings lots of options and functions tailored to increase the security of your documents and help you improve it.
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
