Protection on ur PC

Ever felt that ur files are never safe even wen u have locked them up. Esp particular ones among the numerous u will be stacking up which need the extra protection. In this age of growing cyber crime that allows any machine to be accessed either physically or through cyberspace intruders, wudnt it be an added advantage to encrypting and password protecting specific data files or folders on ur PC.
Well jus to help in that here are a few tips to help ur system remain secure esp if u are havin the very widespread but at the same time unreliable Windows OS. If you are using Windows XP (Professional and Media Center editions) or Windows Vista (Business or Ultimate), the first option is EFS (Encrypting File System). It is a security feature built-into the OS, enabling you to encrypt files such that only you can access the files by logging into your account. The benefits are that there is no third-party software to purchase/install, no additional passwords to remember, and no need to launch a program just to access or encrypt a particular file. Just right-click the file(s) or folder(s) in question, select Properties, click the Advanced button, and check the box labeled “Encrypt contents to secure data.” The initial application of encryption can take some time, but if you encrypt the entire folder any file saved or copied to there from then on will automatically be encrypted ‘on the fly’ with little to no reduction in performance. However, EFS is far from perfect. If you are logged into your account, no additional protection is available. (If someone takes over your computer while you’re logged in they have full access, just as you did. Secondly, if Windows becomes corrupt you may lose access to your files, since the encryption is directly tied into the OS. Finally, tools to circumvent EFS are widely available for $100-$200, so anyone could crack your files open if they were willing to pay the price.
The second option is Bitlocker, a new feature of Windows Vista Ultimate edition. It’s much more secure for even Windows cannot boot without the correct passcode, protecting not just your personal files but your OS as well. So far there are no commercial workarounds available and everything is done ‘in the background,’ making it an ideal solution for those who worry about stolen laptops. Like EFS, though, it’s tied into the OS so if it becomes corrupt your files may be lost, and if someone takes control while you’re logged in there’s no stopping the unauthorized user. Plus, unlike EFS, there’s no simple recovery option should you forget your password.
The last option is third-party encryption software; Truecrypt, Cryptainer are a few options. They both enable you to drag-and-drop your files into an encrypted ‘folder,’ which can even be hidden from view of all other users, a feature EFS and Bitlocker lack. They’re also completely independent of the OS, so you can copy the encrypted ‘folder’ and take it with you, accessing it on any computer while keeping the contents safe. To top it off, no one can access your files even while you’re logged into Windows unless they also have the passcode for the encrypted container.
If you’re not limited by your OS (Windows 95 or better will do, and TrueCrypt runs on Linux) or transportation choices (works on flash drives, CDs/DVDs, etc.), it’s a worthy trade-off for the lack of automatic, on-the-fly encryption.And on a final note, be sure to keep your security software up-to-date. No matter how many layers of encryption and password protection you employ it could all be for nothing if spyware is installed on your computer, designed to log your keystrokes (including passcodes) and/or take pictures of your activities. So be sure ur protected from these issues at the first place. Get good antivirus systems and then go in for protection of specific files.