Crypt3

[dufchick]

Hi-

Can anyone tell me how to properly use Crypt3? It seems super easy to drag a document in and password protect it but how the heck do you open up the document? Thanks

Allison

 

[Raz0rEdge]

It is always good to provide a link to applications so that people can see what it's about and provide some guidance. Search for "crypt3" shows many different variations, so not sure which one you are using.

 

[dufchick]

So sorry that would definitely be a good idea. Its in the App Store. Crypt3

 

[Rod]

Looking at the Version History on the App Store page for this app you will see the last update was 7 years ago. This is not necessarily an issue but the Support Link is essentially to a blank page with a contact link to the developer on Twitter.
This doesn't mean that the app is not useable but given the changes to macOS filing systems in just the last 3 years an app this old may have problems with compatibility.
You could of course contact the developer via his info and ask, but short of that I would need to download it myself and try to work out an answer to your question.

 

[dufchick]

OK Its old, I will look for another program I guess. Thanks!

 

[Rod]

Of course I'm not sure why you wish to have an encrypted "vault" style app. There are a lot of alternatives after all. Both Pages and MS Word offer document locking with a password. macOS offers complete system encryption via File Vault, although I don't promote that, it causes more problems than it solves in my mind and is rarely necessary for the average user. Or you can create an encrypted partition on the Mac via Disk Utility any size you like with a single password which works just like a folder. I can provide easy instruction on how to do this if you like.

 

[ferrarr]

You can secure files, folders, partitions and drives with Disk Utility.

 

[chscag]

Allison:

I have to agree with Rod. Unless you're dealing with some very sensitive information, I recommend avoiding using encryption. During the span of years these forums have been active, there have been numerous anecdotes of users losing some or all of their data due to encryption errors, forgetting passwords, etc.

 

[dufchick]

I don't want to use File Vault. I want a way to encrypt some files and folders on my MacBook Pro some of which will just reside on my computer but some which I may email out. I have been working from home and I sometimes deal with data that needs to be secure and I hate hate using my work laptop (crappy windows PC) so it seems like a good time to figure out if I can selectively encrypt some data and password protect some files I may want to email out. I know how to password protect individual files in Word, Excel and PDFs as well but for my purposes I would like to find an easier solution, like dropping the file into a program that automatically encrypts the file, allows me to create a password and shreds the original.

 

[dufchick]

You can secure files, folders, partitions and drives with Disk Utility.

Interesting, I will look into this.

 

[ferrarr]

This is what I am referring to, https://support.apple.com/guide/disk-utility/create-a-disk-image-dskutl11888/mac.

 

[dufchick]

https://support.apple.com/guide/disk-utility/create-a-disk-image-dskutl11888/mac.

So this may be good for me, I think the last option 'Create a Secure Disk Image' would work for my selected files and folders. I think it will not help me to password protect each document I want to email out though. But I won't be working from home forever so this will still be useful to me to protect my personal sensitive documents in case I fall victim to a virus etc. Thank you! Interesting feature already installed, for sure.

 

[MacInWin]

Just curious, dufchick, does your company allow company data on a personal machine? I ask because just about every company I worked for prohibited that way of working, particularly for "sensitive" data.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

I don't want to use File Vault. I want a way to encrypt some files and folders on my MacBook Pro some of which will just reside on my computer but some which I may email out.

An ideal solution for you would be:

Encrypto (free)
https://macpaw.com/encrypto
Encrypto allows you to instantly encrypt and password protect files or folders. Decrypt them with a double-click and enter the password. Not even the FBI can break this encryption. Encrypto can work with your e-mail program to streamline sending encrypted e-mails. There is also a free version of this product for Windows, so encrypted files can be shared across platforms!)

While Disk Utility will allow you to create encrypted disk images, doing so isn't as fast or as easy as using Encrypto. Also, encrypted disk images created with Disk Utility are not cross platform.

 

[Rod]

Good reccomendation Randy, I used to use MacPaw’s Hider 2 myself but it was "retired" in 2019. Would probably suit my needs as well.

 

[dufchick]

Just curious, dufchick, does your company allow company data on a personal machine? I ask because just about every company I worked for prohibited that way of working, particularly for "sensitive" data.

Yes they do allow it, actually before I started working from home for several weeks, I occasionally worked remotely and used my own computer via a VPN connection into the work network. More recently due to cyber attacks and email phishing that company employees actually fell for, the IT department installed all sorts of new security features in our system and asked that we eliminate use of the VPN. So they got me a laptop that they installed security features on to enable me to use the VPN on that work laptop only. But its slow and I cannot even see the entire screen of my desk computer through the VPN, I have to scroll up and down and sideways. So I use my own Macbook Pro since a lot of what I do is not on the network. But I still would like to protect the information I send via email as the sender and for the receiver, since I have no idea what steps the receiver took on their end to secure their own computer. And securing it on my own computer gives me peace of mind that if I am a victim of a cyber attack, that I have done everything possible to protect the documents including some of my own (tax returns, copies of medical documents that contain social security numbers and that sort of thing). These days, I just think its wise to be careful.

 

[MacInWin]

Wow, your IT department really needs some education on security. But maybe dumb luck will get them through. Good luck with it.

 

[dufchick]

An ideal solution for you would be:

Encrypto (free)
https://macpaw.com/encrypto
Encrypto allows you to instantly encrypt and password protect files or folders. Decrypt them with a double-click and enter the password. Not even the FBI can break this encryption. Encrypto can work with your e-mail program to streamline sending encrypted e-mails. There is also a free version of this product for Windows, so encrypted files can be shared across platforms!)

While Disk Utility will allow you to create encrypted disk images, doing so isn't as fast or as easy as using Encrypto. Also, encrypted disk images created with Disk Utility are not cross platform.

This looks like a great program, but do I understand correctly that you need the app on the receiving end to open the document?

 

[IWT]

do I understand correctly that you need the app on the receiving end to open the document?

Yes.

But then, it's free and available for Windows' users as well as Macs.

Ian

 

[dufchick]

Yes.

But then, it's free and available for Windows' users as well as Macs.

Ian

Very good, this is a great app that I will start to use. Thanks so much!