Encrypt file in Win 7 ?

I would like to encrypt a file in Win 7.

Is there a way to do that without installing another program ?

Andy

I wish everyone a Happy Easter.

On Sat, 15 Apr 2017 14:01:56 -0700 (PDT), Andy
wrote:

I would like to encrypt a file in Win 7.

Is there a way to do that without installing another program ?

Not safely.
[]'s
--
Don't be evil - Google 2004
We have a new policy - Google 2012

On 15/04/2017 22:01, Andy wrote:

Is there a way to do that without installing another program ?

Depends whether you have already got 7-zip or not. If you have already
got it then the answer is yes.




--

If you want to filter all of my posts then please read this article:
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/organize-your-messages-using-filters
In step 7 select "Delete"

With over 500 million devices now running Windows 10, customer
satisfaction is higher than any previous version of windows.

Andy wrote:
I would like to encrypt a file in Win 7.

Is there a way to do that without installing another program ?

Andy

I wish everyone a Happy Easter.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encrypting_File_System

Don't forget to make a password reset disc/floppy.

And try to Google for "EFS best practice", as there is
usually an article about using a password reset disc,
and keeping the keys somewhere so you don't get locked out.

That's the main problem with encryption, is not following
"best practice" and getting locked out. And it will happen
to you sooner or later, making you more careful in future.

Paul

On Saturday, April 15, 2017 at 6:35:58 PM UTC-5, Paul wrote:
Andy wrote:
I would like to encrypt a file in Win 7.

Is there a way to do that without installing another program ?

Andy

I wish everyone a Happy Easter.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encrypting_File_System

Don't forget to make a password reset disc/floppy.

And try to Google for "EFS best practice", as there is
usually an article about using a password reset disc,
and keeping the keys somewhere so you don't get locked out.

That's the main problem with encryption, is not following
"best practice" and getting locked out. And it will happen
to you sooner or later, making you more careful in future.

Paul

I only want to encrypt a single file, not the whole disc.

Andy

On Saturday, April 15, 2017 at 4:33:38 PM UTC-5, Good Guy wrote:
On 15/04/2017 22:01, Andy wrote:



Is there a way to do that without installing another program ?



Depends whether you have already got 7-zip or not.Â* If you have
already got it then the answer is yes.











--



If you want to filter all of my posts then please read this
article:

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/organize-your-messages-using-filters

In step 7 select "Delete"



With over 500 million devices now
running Windows 10, customer satisfaction is higher than any
previous version of windows.

I probably did not give enuf details.

I am hoping to take a text file and encrypt it.

I hope that was a clear explanation.

Andy

On 4/15/2017 9:14 PM, Andy wrote:
On Saturday, April 15, 2017 at 6:35:58 PM UTC-5, Paul wrote:
Andy wrote:
I would like to encrypt a file in Win 7.

Is there a way to do that without installing another program ?

Andy

I wish everyone a Happy Easter.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encrypting_File_System

Don't forget to make a password reset disc/floppy.

And try to Google for "EFS best practice", as there is
usually an article about using a password reset disc,
and keeping the keys somewhere so you don't get locked out.

That's the main problem with encryption, is not following
"best practice" and getting locked out. And it will happen
to you sooner or later, making you more careful in future.

Paul

I only want to encrypt a single file, not the whole disc.

Andy

First google hit is
https://vmola.com/file-encryption.php

Andy wrote:
On Saturday, April 15, 2017 at 6:35:58 PM UTC-5, Paul wrote:
Andy wrote:
I would like to encrypt a file in Win 7.

Is there a way to do that without installing another program ?

Andy

I wish everyone a Happy Easter.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encrypting_File_System

Don't forget to make a password reset disc/floppy.

And try to Google for "EFS best practice", as there is
usually an article about using a password reset disc,
and keeping the keys somewhere so you don't get locked out.

That's the main problem with encryption, is not following
"best practice" and getting locked out. And it will happen
to you sooner or later, making you more careful in future.

Paul

I only want to encrypt a single file, not the whole disc.

Andy

Have you tried: Right click, Advanced, Encrypt ?
IIRC, you have to have 7 Pro or better.

Andy wrote:
On Saturday, April 15, 2017 at 4:33:38 PM UTC-5, Good Guy wrote:
On 15/04/2017 22:01, Andy wrote:



Is there a way to do that without installing another program ?



Depends whether you have already got 7-zip or not. If you have
already got it then the answer is yes.

I probably did not give enuf details.

I am hoping to take a text file and encrypt it.

I hope that was a clear explanation.

Andy

7ZIP has "store" mode if you don't want compression,
plus it has AES encryption as an option for an
archive operation. You can create a password for
an archive, and protect it with AES.

http://www.7-zip.org/

Take the "test.txt" file, right click and "Add to Archive",
and name the output file "test.txt.7z". In the dialog box
there should be a button for AES encryption on the right.
You will need to enter a password (used to decrypt later).

You can use "7Z" compression and "Store" mode, to keep the
file the same size as it was originally. That's if you want
to open the file with a hex editor and see whether you can
recognize any of your original text or not.

Paul

(Given the subject, you'd do better asking in alt.windows7.general; I've
added it.)

In message , Andy
writes:
On Saturday, April 15, 2017 at 6:35:58 PM UTC-5, Paul wrote:
Andy wrote:
I would like to encrypt a file in Win 7.

Is there a way to do that without installing another program ?
[]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encrypting_File_System
[usual excellent Paul tutorial]
That's the main problem with encryption, is not following
"best practice" and getting locked out. And it will happen
to you sooner or later, making you more careful in future.

Paul

I only want to encrypt a single file, not the whole disc.

Andy

The .zip creation process includes the option of a password; whether the
version of .zip creation built into W7 includes the option, I'm not sure
- I think it does.

How secure that is, I also don't know; I'm pretty sure it's crackable.
It would help to know _why_ you want to encrypt this file. (Virtually
_any_ encryption scheme is crackable given enough resource, other than
perhaps use of a one-time pad - but then you have the problem of how to
convey the pad.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Gravity is a myth; the Earth sucks.

On Sat, 15 Apr 2017 21:14:01 -0700 (PDT), Andy
wrote:

On Saturday, April 15, 2017 at 6:35:58 PM UTC-5, Paul wrote:
Andy wrote:
I would like to encrypt a file in Win 7.

Is there a way to do that without installing another program ?

slight cut
.....

I only want to encrypt a single file, not the whole disc.

Please explain "without installing another program" and how
strong the encryption needs to be ?
It this for storage or are you planning to email it to someone
?
If it's for storage encryption is NOT a good idea as a single
bad byte could render the whole file unrecoverable.
Details make all the difference.
[]'s
--
Don't be evil - Google 2004
We have a new policy - Google 2012

On 4/16/2017 3:47 AM, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
(Given the subject, you'd do better asking in alt.windows7.general; I've
added it.)

In message , Andy
writes:
On Saturday, April 15, 2017 at 6:35:58 PM UTC-5, Paul wrote:
Andy wrote:
I would like to encrypt a file in Win 7.

Is there a way to do that without installing another program ?
[]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encrypting_File_System
[usual excellent Paul tutorial]
That's the main problem with encryption, is not following
"best practice" and getting locked out. And it will happen
to you sooner or later, making you more careful in future.

Paul

I only want to encrypt a single file, not the whole disc.

Andy

The .zip creation process includes the option of a password; whether the
version of .zip creation built into W7 includes the option, I'm not sure
- I think it does.

How secure that is, I also don't know; I'm pretty sure it's crackable.
It would help to know _why_ you want to encrypt this file. (Virtually
_any_ encryption scheme is crackable given enough resource, other than
perhaps use of a one-time pad - but then you have the problem of how to
convey the pad.)


How secure do you want the encryption? As far as I know, OpenPGP
encryption has never been broken.

As you wish, it allows you to encrypt a single file. It is also
cross-platform; that is, you can encrypt on a Windows PC and decrypt (if
you have both the private key and the passphrase) on a Mac or Linux
host. See my http://www.rossde.com/PGP/index.shtml.

--
David E. Ross
http://www.rossde.com

Consider:
* Most state mandate that drivers have liability insurance.
* Employers are mandated to have worker's compensation insurance.
* If you live in a flood zone, flood insurance is mandatory.
* If your home has a mortgage, fire insurance is mandatory.

Why then is mandatory health insurance so bad??

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
(Given the subject, you'd do better asking in alt.windows7.general; I've
added it.)

In message , Andy
writes:
On Saturday, April 15, 2017 at 6:35:58 PM UTC-5, Paul wrote:
Andy wrote:
I would like to encrypt a file in Win 7.

Is there a way to do that without installing another program ?
[]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encrypting_File_System
[usual excellent Paul tutorial]
That's the main problem with encryption, is not following
"best practice" and getting locked out. And it will happen
to you sooner or later, making you more careful in future.

Paul

I only want to encrypt a single file, not the whole disc.

Andy

The .zip creation process includes the option of a password; whether the
version of .zip creation built into W7 includes the option, I'm not sure
- I think it does.

How secure that is, I also don't know; I'm pretty sure it's crackable.
It would help to know _why_ you want to encrypt this file. (Virtually
_any_ encryption scheme is crackable given enough resource, other than
perhaps use of a one-time pad - but then you have the problem of how to
convey the pad.)

Some versions of ZIP were crackable. The WinZIP product
has probably been modified over the years. The suggestion
in the thread to use 7ZIP, at least that's only had one password
implementation. It still doesn't say how secure it is.

There's a PGP tool that's capable of using RSA2048
on a file for you. But, without asking you, it applies
both compression and encryption, and I expect the compression
step is slowing it down. Being slow-headed, it took me the
longest while to understand that the program had actually
produced output. Then, a lightbulb went on...

If you need to apply both, it's "compression first, encryption
second". Which is why PGP was doing that. But it should still
ask you whether you want just encryption, for speed reasons.
It wasn't even documented, what kind of compression was being
used.

EFS and Bitlocker are examples of build-in solutions. Bitlocker
isn't available on every trim level of Windows 7. With EFS, you
should be able to create an EFS folder, throw one file into it,
and that should be sufficient. That's really the closest you're going
to get, to meeting the original requirements. With EFS, you should
make your password recovery disc and put that in a safe place.

AFAIK, the Windows implementation of ZIP/CAB, is for compatibility.
It's not an attempt to "write a better ZIP". And I cannot tell you
whether Microsoft spends time tracking what the WinZIP corporation
does on each new release. Apparently, there are still people buying
copies of WinZIP.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZIP_(file_format

See "Strong Encryption Controversy" for methods.

And this tells you the extent to which Microsoft tracks new development.

"Versions of Microsoft Windows have included support for .ZIP
compression in Explorer since the Microsoft Plus! pack was
released for Windows 98. Microsoft calls this feature
"Compressed Folders". Not all .ZIP features are supported by
the Windows Compressed Folders capability. For example,
AES Encryption, split or spanned archives, and Unicode entry
encoding are not known to be readable or writable by the
Compressed Folders feature in Windows versions earlier than Windows 8
"

So that suggests that Windows does not amount to a "free copy
of WinZIP/PKZIP". You're left with a degree of uncertainty.

HTH,
Paul

On Sun, 16 Apr 2017 15:03:20 -0400, Paul wrote:
AFAIK, the Windows implementation of ZIP/CAB, is for compatibility.
It's not an attempt to "write a better ZIP".


And it comes with some baggage, like a clumsy attempt to hide the
difference between a real folder and a ZIP file (excuse me, "a
compressed folder").

I don't think Zip/Winzip/7zip originated CAB format, though. I could
be wrong, but the first time I remember seeing that was in Windows
installers on CDs. I was always under the impression it was a
Microsoft proprietary format that the zip programs eventually figured
out and supported.

My biggest beef with 7zip is that you can only add files to archive,
you can't move them. Other zips that I've used -- including the
venerable command-line Info-Zip at http://www.info-zip.org/ -- have a
move option. With that option set, the program automatically deletes
the originals after verifying the newly-written zip.

But I don't use any zip when encryption is the primary concern. For
that, I recommend VeraCrypt. It's cross platform (though I've only
used the Windows version), and it fully supports directory structures
within an encrypted volume.

My own practice has been not to worry much about compression. Disk
storage is cheap, and all my financial records fit in 1500 MB.
(That's only 150 times the full capacity of the first hard drive I
bought. And now it's virtually nothing.)

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://BrownMath.com/
http://OakRoadSystems.com/
Shikata ga nai...

Andy wrote:
I would like to encrypt a file in Win 7.

Is there a way to do that without installing another program ?

Is this for use by yourself or for transporting to someone else to decrypt?

MS previously had articles for Win7 EFS encryption of files or folders,
but presently has disrupted the links to those articles in favor of the
front page for Win10 support.

Basically the method amounts to R click the file and use Properties to
encrypt it (and/or the file's folder) using the NTFS file system. I
believe that method does not work for all versions of Win7 ie Home
Premium - unless modifications are made to the registry for those
versions which don't do it natively.

--
Mike Easter