You keep client files, tax records or personal documents on a laptop or a USB stick, and you know that losing it would be a disaster. Dekart Private Disk is disk encryption software for Windows. It creates encrypted virtual disks that behave like normal drives, so your programs work with them as usual.
Quick facts
- Version: 2.15
- Platforms: Windows 9x/ME, NT/2000/XP, 2003, Vista/7/8/10 (32 and 64-bit)
- Price: USD 65.00 for a Personal/Business license; a student/educational license is also offered
- Download size: 3.3 MB
- Trial: a free download is offered
- Encryption: NIST-certified AES 256-bit
Key features
Encrypted disks that work like any other drive
You can create several encrypted disks. Files are encrypted on the fly as they are written and decrypted as they are read, so you don't have to reconfigure your applications. You can mount multiple disks at once and keep different types of files on different disks.
Disk Firewall that blocks unapproved programs
Disk Firewall keeps a white-list of applications allowed to open the encrypted disk. A program that isn't on the list can't read or change your data. A self-learning mode builds the list automatically. The program also checks that a trusted application hasn't been modified after you added it.
Run it from a USB stick without installing
Private Disk can run from removable media such as flash drives, external hard disks, memory cards and DVDs. You can open your protected files on another computer without installing anything. When you close it, it starts the safe hardware removal procedure.
File Move, backups and key recovery
File Move finds the files you pick, encrypts them and wipes the originals. You can also create compressed encrypted backups, and back up your encryption key to restore data if the media becomes corrupt. Data wiping erases encrypted data so recovery tools can't pull fragments from it.
Automatic protection when you step away
Encrypted disks dismount automatically after a period of inactivity. Hibernate control lets you decide whether disks stay connected when the system hibernates. Autorun and Autofinish can launch or close specific applications when a disk is mounted or dismounted.
Who it's for
Private Disk suits people who carry sensitive files on laptops and USB drives and want a simple, drive-letter based way to protect them. It also suits anyone who needs to hand over files on a CD or DVD with a read-only encrypted image. The vendor describes this as a use case based on customer experience. One license can be used on multiple computers without extra fees.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Simple interface, and encrypted disks look like ordinary drives
- Application white-list adds protection against malware
- Portable use from removable media
- Free updates to new versions, with discounts on major updates, and free technical support
- The vendor says the software has no backdoors or escrow keys
Cons
- Windows only; there is no version for other systems
- It encrypts disk images, not the whole system drive
- Without administrative rights on a PC where it has never been launched by an administrator, the encrypted image opens only as an archive
FAQs
Does the encrypted disk slow my computer down?
Encryption and decryption happen automatically as you read and write files. The vendor says the effect on performance is minimal.
Can I use it on a computer where I'm not an administrator?
Only if an administrator has already launched Private Disk on that machine. If not, the encrypted image opens as an archive. You can extract files from it or add new data.
Can one license cover more than one computer?
Yes. The vendor's licensing policy allows the same license on multiple computers without additional fees.
What happens if the media holding my encrypted disk is damaged?
You can restore your protected files using a backup of your encryption key. You can also keep encrypted backups of the data.
Which encryption does it use?
It uses AES 256-bit in CBC mode with secret IVs for each sector. The vendor says the cryptographic components are NIST-certified.
System requirements
Windows 9x/ME, NT/2000/XP, 2003, Vista/7/8/10, in 32-bit and 64-bit editions. The download is about 3.3 MB.