Encryption is the matter of safety, I've always said. If you want to keep movies, pictures and other files under a safe lock, choose a password protective software from our guide.

So while someone could get at your files if they know your password (the decryption key), they won't be able to take out a drive from your system and access what's on it, or use a second computer ...

To encrypt an archive in 7-zip, once you’re at the Add to Archive dialog box, enter a password and select the Encryption method AES-256.

How you go about this will depend on the software you're using to create the file in the first place. Some applications have password protection features built in, while in other cases you'll need ...

Choose an encryption type—either 128- or 256-bit AES (256-bit is more secure but takes longer to encrypt). From the Image Format menu choose Sparse Disk Image.