3 days ago
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ZDNET's key takeaways
- File and folder security is crucial in this day and age.
- There are apps you can use to heighten the security of your files.
- These apps are free and available for desktop and mobile devices.
The need for security is high, and it gets higher with each passing day. It doesn't matter if you're using a desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone; you need to make sure you've done everything you can to keep your documents and files secure from prying eyes.
But how? Is your device's operating system enough? Probably not. That being the case, what do you do? You certainly shouldn't leave the security of your files to chance, as that is just inviting trouble.
I've created a short list of apps that can help add a necessary level of security to your documents and files. Of course, an app alone isn't enough; you also have to remain vigilant about how you share files and who has access to your devices. At the same time, you absolutely must ensure that your operating system and all apps are always up to date; otherwise, you risk security vulnerabilities.
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With that said, let's get to the apps.
1. Censor
Censor is a one-trick pony, but that trick can be very helpful. Censor is a Linux app for redacting PDFs. That's right, we're talking about redaction. I've used this app many times over the years, and every time I do, I'm thankful it's there because it makes the task of redacting PDFs about as simple as it gets.
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If you have documents that contain sensitive information, but you need to share those files with someone else (who shouldn't have access to certain information), you can simply redact those sections, save the PDF, and send it away.
Censor is incredibly easy to use and is free.
2. DocVault: My Document Manager.
The main purpose of DocVault is to simplify document management on your mobile device. However, DocVault also has the ability to password-protect the app itself, so only those with your device PIN, password, or biometrics are able to open the app and gain access to the documents within.
With DocVault, you can add items like bank information, IDs, vehicle information, invoices, insurance, passwords, and more. My only nit to pick with DocVault is that I would also like to be able to add extra passwords to uber-sensitive files.
DocVault is free to use and is available for Android.
3. Nextcloud
I'm a big advocate of pulling important and sensitive documents from cloud storage and saving them to a locally deployed server, such as Nextcloud. Nextcloud makes it possible for you to have your own Google Workspace-like service on your LAN, where you can store, create, and manage your documents without worrying that a third party could possibly gain access to those documents for the purpose of creating a profile on you or for training LLMs. You do not want either of those to happen.
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With Nextcloud, you can add all the apps you need to create an entire ecosystem that only you can access (unless you create accounts for other users).
Nextcloud is free and can be installed on Linux, MacOS, and Windows.
4. CryptoMater
Imagine your cloud storage provider allowed you to create passwords for specific folders. Wouldn't that be nice? Well, with CryptoMater, you can do just that (and more). With CryptoMater, you assign a password to whatever folder you want, and you don't have to worry about encryption keys or anything else. It just works, simply and reliably.
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For individuals, CryptoMater is open source, free, and can be used with Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and other locations.
CryptoMater is available for Linux, MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS.
5. VeraCrypt
VeraCrypt is a free, open-source disk encryption software that is available for Linux, MacOS, and Windows. With VeraCrypt, you create a virtual encrypted disk on your internal drive that can then be used to store files and folders. Here's how VeraCrypt works:
- Create Volume: Create a file container or encrypt a drive, selecting encryption settings and a strong password.
- Mount the volume: You select the container file, pick a drive letter, and enter the password.
- Use the volume: The container appears as a new, standard drive in your file explorer, where you can add, remove, and manage files and folders.
- Unmount the volume: When you're done working with your files, you "unmount" the volume, which locks it and makes all data inaccessible.
For me, VeraCrypt is an essential tool for protecting sensitive files and folders.
6. The Vault
The Vault is a MacOS and iOS app that simplifies the secure storage of all your passwords, login credentials, and any other confidential information. Even better, The Vault syncs all of your secured information between your Apple devices, so you always have that sensitive data on hand.
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The Vault holds passwords, photos, documents, and more. This app uses strong encryption, can work with biometrics, supports Duress protection, includes a force-lock feature, supports password autofill, and much more.
The one caveat is that The Vault is not free. You'll pay $24.99 for this highly secure app, but if you really value the security of your files and folders and want to be able to access it across the Apple ecosystem, this is a great way to go.
7. KeePassXC
Finally, there's the open-source KeePassXC. This app is a password manager, but it also allows you to add files to an entry. For instance, you could create an entry for your online school account and then add files such as transcripts or other documents of a sensitive nature.
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Once you've created the entry and added those documents, the only way to access them is to unlock the associated encrypted KeePassXC vault.
If you've used any password manager, you can use KeePassXC. KeePassXC does not include its own cloud-based storage and sync service, but it does support the likes of Dropbox and Google Drive, and you can even set up a KeePassXC server on your LAN.
KeePassXC is free to install and use on Linux, MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS.
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