TrueCrypt vs. .Zip

I have never heard of TrueCrypt, but this article helped explain it to me. It's similar to an encrypted .zip file, but the author of the article really loves it. It's secure, and it's a "TrueCrypt vault' - which is seen as a virtual drive. There were a lot of pros and cons to it, such as the TrueCrypt vault is set in its size, while a .zip file can expand and compress as needed for which files are in it. The author of this article brought out some good points for both TrueCrypt and .zip files.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2016558/answer-line-truecrypt-vs-encrypted-zip-files.html

Encryption

I found some really fun articles (when browsing through PC World) about how to encrypt your data and protect your laptop. They recommend passwords, but passwords can be easily broken, so even that shouldn't be your only protection. It's a basic protection procedure, much like locking your door in your home; it's not perfect, but it's a good first step.

There are some really great backup software possibilities out there, too! They mentioned Dropbox, and that is a great way to keep some documents safe. Again, though, that's typically protected by only passwords. Some other great backup software is Carbonite and Acronis. They're both going to cloud storage data, and I have heard amazing reviews for Carbonite. Check 'em out if you're looking for backup options!

My favorite back-up plan: I have an external 2TB hard drive that I use only for my backups of all my data. Only problem is when I forget to update it, which is when the cloud backups like Carbonite and Acronis come in handy.

Anyway, I hope that you guys have fun, and you should check out these articles!

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2025462/how-to-encrypt-almost-anything.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2025897/a-road-warriors-guide-to-locking-down-your-laptop.html