Call me paranoid, but I like to know that my computer data is kept safe on my hard drive. I work from home and I use my comp to store passwords, tax returns, business transactions and other sensitive information. I certainly need a reliable solution to encrypting that information. Would you leave your own receipts and personal info laying around for others to potentially see and exploit in the “real” world? If not, then why would you be so careless on your computer, especially with hackers and online identity theft on the rise? The solution, my friend, is called data encryption software.

This help comes in the form of programs that encrypt your computer data safely for only your eyes to see. A simple explanation of how it works is that it makes your data unreadable to anyone prying or spying on your machine and only YOU hold the key to making it readable, in the form of your password. These software programs use the same kind of algorithm technology that is also used by banks, governments and the military, so you KNOW your stuff will be kept safe until you need it yourself.

For a further explanation, including a little bit of history, try reading this informative article that explains both paid and free data encryption software.