▶ 7.4 File Encryption Software
A file encryption program transforms files between plaintext and ciphertext, using keys provided to it. Some operating systems, including versions of Microsoft Windows, include a file encryption feature. In practice, however, such capabilities don’t provide all the features of a separate file encryption application program.
People use file encryption in two distinct situations:
Protect a file while sending a copy to someone else.
Protect a file while it resides on the computer’s drive. This involves three separate risks:
Access by a Trojan horse
Access by a separately booted operating system
Access to low-level data written to the drive
In the first case, we might send an electronic file via email, or we ...
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