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Crypteze provides an easy and effective way to achieve secure data storage and communication through the encryption of your files and e-mail
messages. It protects your privacy by allowing you to effectively lock and unlock your own files and e-mail messages
so that only you and the people you choose to communicate with can view them.
It also enables e-mail messages to be digitally signed and verified.
The Cryptographic Services built into Microsoft Windows are used by Crypteze to create your own
"digital ID",
encrypt and decrypt files, and via Microsoft Outlook Express and Outlook, to
encrypt and decrypt, sign and verify e-mail messages.
Although there are other digital ID providers, they usually provide the
additional service of authenticating your digital ID when dealing with others. For this they typically require an annual fee and the provision of much
personal information.
Crypteze and Public Key Technology
Public key technology (PKT) provides the basis for most of the world's secure
data storage and
communication. There are two aspects of PKT which you
should be aware of in order to use Crypteze: digital IDs and encryption
algorithms.
Digital IDs:
Everyone must have a unique digital ID in order to perform encryption and
digital signing operations. A digital ID has two components: a private key and a public key. These are generated
together as a pair and have a reciprocal nature. When a file or e-mail message is
encrypted, the public key is used. When it is decrypted, the private key
is used. When an e-mail message is signed, the private key is used.
When it is verified, the public key is used.
When a digital ID is created for you, your private key is stored securely on your computer
and your public key is packaged, along with other pertinent information such as
your name, into a "certificate" which is also stored on your
computer. Certificates are exchanged - typically by e-mail - between
people who want to securely communicate with each other. Your certificate
is effectively your "public" digital ID.
Encryption Algorithms:
Various algorithms are available for encryption.
These have different "strengths", meaning that they require different
levels of effort to defeat them. A greater
strength generally implies greater effort not only to encrypt something but also
to decrypt it.
There are a common set of algorithms available on Microsoft Windows systems,
but some systems may have stronger algorithms. In order to communicate
securely with someone you may have to agree on using a common algorithm.
Digital ID Creation
Crypteze enables a person to generate their own digital ID. Your digital ID
can be used for encrypting and decrypting files and e-mail
messages as well as signing and verifying e-mail messages.
You may communicate with anyone that has a digital ID whether it was created
by Crypteze or some of other digital ID provider.
File Encryption
Crypteze permits any file to be simply encrypted and decrypted. This
may be performed by granting access to specific people, using their digital IDs,
or simply by a password.
To encrypt a file that is to be accessed by digital IDs, you must have your own digital ID.
If it is to be shared with others, you must also have their digital IDs in the
form of certificates. A certificate contains a person's public
key with which the file is encrypted. The person's corresponding private
key can then be used to decrypt the file.
Secure File Deletion
Crypteze provides the ability to securely delete a file. The Secure
Delete operation will first overwrite a file with random data and then delete
it.
Secure E-Mail
Crypteze works in conjunction with Microsoft Outlook Express and Outlook to
provide e-mail encryption and signing. You must use Crypteze to generate your own digital ID
- containing your e-mail address - prior to using this.
To send an encrypted e-mail to others, you must have their digital IDs in the
form of certificates. A certificate contains a person's public key with which
the e-mail message is encrypted. The person's corresponding private key
can then be used to decrypt the message.
To digitally sign an e-mail message all that is required is your own digital ID.
Your private key is used to sign a message. Typically your digital ID's certificate (containing your public key) is included in any message that
you sign. This permits the recipient to verify the signature and also to
save the certificate for future communication.
System Requirements
Crypteze requires Microsoft Windows 95 (OSR2) or later (NT 4.0
SP6/98/ME/2000/XP)
and Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 or later.
For e-mail, either Microsoft Outlook Express 5 or Outlook 98 or later can be
used.
Screen Shots
Encrypt
Decrypt
Secure Delete
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