TruecCrypt is an open-source encryption solution provided by the TrueCrypt Foundation. It isn't new to the encryption market. Version 1 was released in February of 2004. According to the Web site, the following are the product's main features:
- Creates a virtual encrypted disk within a file and mounts it as a real disk.
- Encrypts an entire partition or storage device such as USB flash drive or hard drive.
- Encrypts a partition or drive where Windows is installed (pre-boot authentication).
- Encryption is automatic, real-time (on-the-fly) and transparent.
- Provides two levels of plausible deniability, in case an adversary forces you to reveal the password:
- Hidden volume (steganography) and hidden operating system.
- No TrueCrypt volume can be identified (volumes cannot be distinguished from random data).
- Encryption algorithms: AES-256, Serpent, and Twofish. Mode of operation: XTS.
TrueCrypt also supports security tokens and smart cards.
Users can encrypt entire USB drives or create encrypted areas for storage, called containers. Encrypted volumes can be auto-mounted via the TrueCrypt interface or via a script using command line capabilities.
Another great feature is TrueCrypt's requirement to backup the master boot record (MBR) before encrypting a laptop system disk. There is no way around it. No backup, no encryption. The backup disk provides a means to recover if the TrueCrypt MBR is corrupted.
