From time to time we get a request from a user for a password
protected folder in MS Windows. Here is a typical request: "I am
wondering if there is a known way to password protect a folder the
way you could to a microsoft word document or microsoft excel
document?" So users understand how to password protect some
individual files (although they may not understand the difference
between mere password protection and actual encryption), and our IT
staff understand how to password protect an entire drive, but we seem
to be missing a suitable way to password protect (or better, encrypt)
single folders in Windows.
I have dabbled with TrueCrypt as one solution, but that seems to
leave something to be desired, both in terms of convenience for the
user, and in terms of IT support should the user ever lose their
password (wouldn't it be nice, for these situations, to have some
system that implemented *two* passwords, one under IT control as a
sort of "backdoor", and another for the user?).
So here are my questions for you all:
- In particular, have you ever used TrueCrypt for any of your Windows
users at MSU? How did that work out?
- In general, what sort of data protection or encryption facilities
have you provided for your Windows users?
Thanks,
-- dkm
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David McFarlane, Systems Designer
Dept. Psychology, Michigan State University
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