Some Basic Advice on Password Protection and Encryption
Work containing personal or confidential data needs to be protected and whether this is done at a document or device level will depend on the level of confidentiality required If required because of the level of security needed (for example lots of personal data being carried about) encryption of USB ‘memory’ sticks is possible (see 2-4 below). The actual process of carrying out password protection and encryption is probably better and more accurately explained by an IT professional but some useful information is detailed below.
The easiest and most basic way of providing at least some security is described in point 1 and more detailed and stronger security is set down in points 2-4.
1. On saving an MS Office document click on Tools, then Options, then click on the ‘security’ tab
The File Encryption option allows for a password to be created for opening or modifying the document, if you click on the advanced button it allows you to use an encryption key up to 128 characters in length.
2. Alternatively If you wished to encrypt a ‘memory’ stick then you will require a NTFS formatted stick, it is also possible to buy a stick (for about £10) with encryption already built in.
3. USB vault is free and easy to use and provides quite a good level of encryption http://www.usbvault.com/
4. or you can use other free Open source software to provide the encryption such as TrueCrypt (their website has a downloadable manual on how it works http://www.truecrypt.org/docs/ ), I have been reliably informed by a colleague in IT, that you can also use GPG to provide the encryption.
It would be a good idea to consult one of our IT staff if you decide to use one of the options under point 2, 3 or 4 because they will be able to identify any potential issues.
You might also consider looking at Microsoft help pages for the following:
Microsoft help on ‘How To Encrypt a File in Windows XP’ is at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307877
Microsoft help on ‘How To Encrypt a Folder in Windows XP’ is at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308989/EN-US/