How to Use File Compression Software to Encrypt Files?

Part 1: What is File Compression?

Creating a password-encrypted archive means we use the file compression software to create a compressed file and add a password to the file. The file data can be compressed and encrypted at the same time.

Through the specific encoding way, the repeated data of a file or a folder will be removed for the reduction of the file size. Then, the plaintext will be transferred to be ciphertext with password protection through the encryption algorithms. That is the principle of compression and encryption.

Part 2: Introduction to File Compression Software

If you want to encrypt a file, you can try the file compression software. Next, we will introduce three pieces of file compression software to you.

1. WinRAR

WinRAR is a powerful manager of zips, which can read the RAT format. With the advantage of the creative compression algorithms, it can achieve higher compression rate, compared with the other file compression software. Besides, the encryption algorithms of the RAR zip is independent. That can make files safer.

Steps:

Download and install WinRAR. Then, open the software.

1. Select the target file or folder. Then, click [Add] and select the format of the file being compressed.

2. Click [Set password] to set a password. Finally, click [OK] to confirm the settings.

Limit: Although the algorithms of this software are creative, it cannot process too many files at a time. Otherwise, the processing speed will be very slow.

2. WinZip

WinZip is a popular file compression tool in the market. This software can compress files or folder to be .zip and encrypted zips.

Steps:

Download and install WinZip. Then, open the software; enable [Encrypt] in the pane [Actions] at the right side. After that, select the target file from [Files] at the left side. Next, set a password for the file. Finally, click [Save as] at the bottom right and save the zip to the target position.

Limit: It can only compress files to be .zip.

3. 7-Zip

7-Zip is the free, open-source file compression software. Compare with the other software, it can achieve the higher compression ratio. But unlike WinRAR, it does not consume lots of the system resources.

Steps:

Download and install 7-Zip. Then, open the software and add the target file. After that, in the new window, select a compression format and set a password. Finally, click [OK] to create the password-protected zip.

Limit: The software is open source. The zip generated with this software can be cracked easily.

Part 3: Issues on Encryption with File Compression Software

Decryption Software in Response to Encrypted Files in Public Format

Since the format of WinZip and 7-Zip is open to the public and 7-Zip is the open-source software, all files and codes can be downloaded. Now, lots of decryption software has been published. For example:

ARCHPR is a professional decryption tool for .zip files. This software offers user various approaches to crack down the zips, regardless of the complexity of the passwords. It is easy to use this software only with several steps.

① Select the target zip file. Then, select options from [Type of attack], [Range] and [Length] and stat to decrypt.

② After that, wait for the result.

Inconvenience of Modifying Encrypted Archives

Since the file compression software is designed for storage and transfer, it will be inconvenient for us to modify a compressed file, especially those encrypted ones. You have to decrypt and decompress the file if you want to modify. After that, you should compress and encrypt the file again.

If your compressed file contains too many sub files, the process will be longer. Besides, some compression tools do not support to modify sub files within the compression file.

Part 4: Use Renee SecureSilo to Encrypt

From the above introduction, we’ve know the limits of the file compression software. The encrypted files are not safe enough because many decryption tools can crack down them. Therefore, it is suggested that we use the professional encryption software to encrypt files. Renee SecureSilo is here to help you.

Renee SecureSilo is the professional encryption software. The advantages of this software include convenience and safety.

Convenient to modify – Renee SecureSilo encrypts files by creating new virtual disk into which users can place files. Unlike the RAR/Zip/7Zip compressed archives, the files saved in Renee SecureSilo can be modified easily, without any need to wait.

Well safety – Since the format of the virtual disk is not public and the AES256 algorithms are utilized, there is no available decryption program in the current market.

Let’s see how to use Renee SecureSilo:

1. Download and install Renee SecureSilo.

2. Then, open the software and set a login password.

3. Click [Create Silo] in [Encrypt Files] to create a virtual disk.

4. Set a password for this virtual disk.

5. Choose a range for the size and then click [Next].

6. Place the target file into the virtual disk and close. The file will be locked.

7. If you want to delete the virtual disk, you should open the software and then follow this way: select the silo > click [Edit Silo] > [Delete Silo] > [Yes] > enter the password.

Part 5: Summary

Through the above introduction, we’ve known that Renee SecureSilo runs well than the file compression software in data encryption. Renee SecureSilo can create the virtual disk where files can be placed and locked. That can make files safer. Besides, since files are not compressed in Renee SecureSilo, the fact that data is compressed to be damaged and lost will not appear.