Can DiskCryptor Be a Reliable Alternative to Truecrypt?

Users who are looking for a hard drive data encryption tool must be familiar with this very popular tool called TrueCrypt that has a strong track record of being a trustworthy data encrypting tool. If you are also using this tool to get your hard drive data encrypted, then you must be aware of its official close down by its creators. Since, its makers are releasing no updates on this tool, so users have started questioning the tool's security and reliability. That has also created the space where people have started looking for alternatives. DiskCryptor is one such alternative. In this article, you will get an analysis on why should you rely on DiskCryptor for encryption security of your hard drive data.

A Note on DiskCryptor

Once you install DiskCryptor, you must reboot your computer. Then, you will notice that this tool runs 64bit drivers that come signed by the ReactOS Foundation. It is a non-profit organization supporting open source projects that are not capable of affording expensive signing certificate to distribute their Windows 64bit drivers.

However, DiskCryptor is a powerful tool to get your whole hard drive, or partial partition’s data encrypted. It has Intel i5 2200Hz (quad core) that consumes very low CPU power. Once you assign the tool the task to encrypt the file, then it lets you know the time it will consume to complete the encryption. The tool uses algorithms such as AES-256, Twofish, Serpent or combination of these cascaded algorithms in XTS mode to accomplish the encryption. The tool was originally developed by a former TrueCrypt user. However, over the years it has got highly improved and now it includes many added features as well. For instance, it also allows the system partition to receive exactly the same format as that of non-system partitions. Currently, this tool has got improved designs that are capable of supporting future project plans as well.

The popular but now discontinued source-available freeware utility, TrueCrypt has long been the first choice of users because it has proved its worth in supporting encryption security. Thus, the users are looking for a tool that delivers a performance level that matches that of TrueCrypt. So, the question here is that is DiskCryptor one such performance packed tool?

If you consider the encryption security aspect, then DiskCrypt is using the same Encryption scheme and algorithms for the encrypted data. Even mode of encryption is similar; both the tool uses the XTS mode of Encryption.

Thus, configuration wise, DiskCrypt is quite similar to the role model tool. If you consider the tool's features, then also this tool has all the required features that a user will look forward.

Features of DiskCrypt

•        It supports encryption algorithm Twofish, AES, Serpent, and their combinations.

•        Allows transparent encryption of disk partitions

•        Renders complete support for dynamic disks.

•        One important aspect of hard RAID operation is the support for disk devices that has large sector. This tool renders that support also.

•        It supports hardware AES acceleration

•        Supports PadLock extensions on VIA processors

•        Supports SSD TRIM extension

•        If offers you multiple booting options for your Operating system and also provides a broad choice in setting its configuration

•        The tool has complete compatibility with third-party bootloaders such as LILO, GRUB, etc.

•        It enhances the encryption security with the pre-boat authentication feature for encrypted data of the whole system or the bootable partitions.

•        It places the boot loader on an external medium that first needs to get authenticated via the key medium.

•        It gives full encryption support for external storage devices

•        Using the tool you can create encrypted CDs and DVDs

•        It features automatic mounting of disk partitions and encrypted files and folders.

•        It also supports optional command-line interface (CLI) and hotkeys.

Conclusion

Thus, you see that DiskCrypt has all the requisite security enabled features and support to keep the data encrypted in hard drives or hard drive partitions safe from being exploited. This open source tool is at par with the now-discontinued TrueCrypt in terms of its mode of operation, support for the encryption algorithm, security features like pre-boot authentication, etc. Thus, you can give this tool a try.