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This is a very good question from the user's perspective. Unfortunately, there isn't an answer that I know that can fully satisfy it. The issue with Password Protect, Encrypted files and/or folders is something that I have spent some time thinking about. It really boils down to data recovery. Stand alone encryption software such as TrueCrypt do a great job on an individual level but falls short (probably maybe by design) in providing a management feature that allows for a reasonable path to data recovery. In response to your second question: We are deploying CompuSec with SafeLAN to provide data encryption to Windows Users. Files and Folders (local and network) can be set to be encrypted/decrypted on the fly, the users don't manage any keys or extra passwords but it does require a client to make this happen. It is clumsy to configure on the Admin side but does satisfy requirements that we have set forth. On the user's side it is very easy to work with and offers real easy data recovery. I am happy to talk offline if you are interested in more details. Firm. -----Original Message----- From: David Cowes [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2011 10:26 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [MSUNAG] Protected folders, TrueCrypt, etc.? Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but Truecrypt seems to provide alternate access to a container where the user has forgotten the password: The FAQ question: "We use TrueCrypt in a corporate/enterprise environment. Is there a way for an administrator to reset a volume password or pre-boot authentication password when a user forgets it (or loses a keyfile)?" http://www.truecrypt.org/faq -DC -----Original Message----- From: David McFarlane [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2011 10:10 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [MSUNAG] Protected folders, TrueCrypt, etc.? 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 --------------- David McFarlane, Systems Designer Dept. Psychology, Michigan State University