Security Corner – Encrypt the Files on Your Hard Drive

According to the FBI, nearly 300,000 laptops are stolen each year. If you have sensitive data on your laptop, it's critical that you protect it.

There are products in the $100 range that can make this almost effortless. Two that we recommend are SecurStar Drive-Crypt Plus and PGP Whole Disk Encryption.

The beauty of this software is that your files are only encrypted on your hard drive. You won't need to send a password every time you email a sensitive document, because the recipient will get an unscrambled version.

One caveat: These products let you select individual files, batches, or the entire hard drive for encryption. While you may feel tempted to secure your entire hard drive and have done with it, keep in mind that this will slow down your performance.

But when you need to add a strong layer of security for your most critical private information, encryption is a powerful tool.

About Brent Whitfield

Brent Whitfield is CEO of DCG Technical Solutions, Inc., which provides IT Support in the Los Angeles area since 1993. DCG exists to help our clients choose, implement, and manage IT and cloud solutions that are cost effective and reliable. DCG's pro-active approach to IT is ideally suited for companies who depend on reliable IT infrastructure, but don't want to spend a lot of money to keep it that way. DCG was recognized among the Top 10 Fastest Growing MSPs in North America by MSP Mentor. Brent has been featured in Fast Company, CNBC, Network Computing, Reuters, and Yahoo Business.