SafeHouse Professional Edition

CNET Editors' review

by: CNET staff on January 11, 2009

Short of an USB drive you keep on your person, a password-protected and encrypted folder is the easiest way to protect sensitive files. SafeHouse Professional Edition is easy to install and use, and quickly delivers a protected folder.

Installation is the most time-consuming aspect of this app, and it is a short process. Users merely answer a few questions with simple pull-downs and check boxes. You can create the safe folder in any size to fill the hard-drive free space. There are six folder encryption methods including the popular AES 128 and 256 bit, but the publisher recommends Twofish 256-bit. Password length is easily set from one to 255 characters, and can be set to expire after a user-set number of days. Note, however, that the demo limits the password to three characters.

Configuring the app takes little time and is always accessible through the tray icon. Some may believe it is too accessible, as not all option changes require the administrator password. We did appreciate the easily set option to open volumes as removable rather than fixed media. Unless fixed at install, changing the protected volume size takes only a few moments through the tools menu. An activity monitor can be set to close the protected volume after a user-set period of inactivity.

When enabled, using the protected folder is the same as using any other drive or folder. Files and folders can be easily added and removed from the protected volume with normal Windows tools. SafeHouse Professional Edition is easy to recommend for all who have a need for folder security.

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Publisher's Description

From PC Dynamics:

SafeHouse provides total privacy and protection for your sensitive files and folders using passwords and strong encryption. SafeHouse features military-strength encryption which is completely transparent to the way you work and is compatible with all Windows applications. This software is amazingly simple to use and works on all drives, including external USB drives, USB memory sticks, network servers and even on CD/DVDs for making secure backups. SafeHouse keeps your confidential files in expandable giant data vaults which can only be accessed after entering your secret password. Your documents, photos, videos, spreadsheets and other files are completely invisible and encrypted once under the total protection offered by SafeHouse. Once SafeHouse accepts your password, your files and folders are fully accessible using a new disk drive letter added to Windows to represent your data vault. SafeHouse can also use a USB memory stick as a virtual smartcard for saving passwords.