Using encryption to protect data has been a longstanding recommendation of security experts as a means of having data privacy. A surprising number of people know that and yet have not tried using encryption themselves. Perhaps there is the assumption that it is difficult and not easily to master. Nick Gibson, in an article for Builder AU, gives a step by step guide on how to use GPG (GNU Privacy Guard) encryption:

“…even with a newfound acceptance of the realities of net security, it seems people are still wilfully ignorant of encryption. Some don’t know what it is, others don’t see the point, but for many it’s just as simple as not realising how simply and painlessly they can protect their files from outside interference.”

link: Encrypt any file with symmetric cryptography using GPG

You may want to spend a little time and learn GPG. Enlist a friend and see if you can pass along an encrypted unimportant message - and practice when it is not imperative to guard that sensitive data. GPG is free - and a reminder, LockNote is another free encryption program from Steganos.

Catherine Forsythe
Director of Operations
FlyingHamster: http://flyinghamster.com/

Tags: encryption, primer, security, gnu privacy guard, locknote, steganos, privacy, free, gpg