Blowfish Advanced CS (bfaCS) is a rock-solid Windows program for encrypting files, using a variety of cryptographically strong algorithms, including its namesake, blowfish. The encryption key is either based on a password that you enter through the keyboard, or from a file that is maintained on an external drive. The user interface is clean and simple — very Windows Explorer like — or, if you prefer, most functions can be accessed directly from the actual Windows Explorer via the context menu.

Some uses for bfaCS include:

• Encrypt any single file, or set of files, to guard against a hard drive falling into the wrong hands.
• Encrypt any single file, or set of files, to guard against them being intercepted during transport/transmission.
• Wipe any single file, or set of files, to prevent them from being “undeleted”.
• Wipe all unused to space, to prevent any files that used to be there from being “undeleted”.

This program is nothing new. Indeed, the latest update was a year and a half ago (it hasn’t needed one). Yes, there are other technologies out there to accomplish the same tasks that are just as good (e.g. whole-disk encryption using TrueCrypt, and secure file transmission using PGP). However, for a quick-and-dirty, yet trustworthy, solution to encrypting a handful of files, bfaCS cannot be beat. Installing it, and running it is a no-brainer.

Platform: Any version of Windows, including Vista.
Price: Free (FOSS)
Author: Markus Hahn
Latest Version: 2.57 (2005-09-11)
Download Link: http://www.hotpixel.net/software.html

Read more: Windows, Security