lock

Suitable for home users and small commercial concerns, the easy-to-use app FsLock encrypts and locks files to keep them secure. Password-protecting the utility is a simple matter, and keeps its secure while running in the system tray.

FsLock launches a large, essentially empty interface with a few command menus that offers a functional, straightforward appearance. A step-by-step manual is available for download from the developer's Web site, but navigating and comprehending the app's function is relatively easy. This free app performed well in our tests. It responded quickly to our clicks, and we liked the ease of using … Read more

I received an interesting e-mail from a reader over the weekend. Dr. Katherine Gold, a lecturer with the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan, had some questions related to Netbooks (or small notebooks), broadband Internet access, and physical computer security. After some discussion, Dr. Gold and I decided to see if some of you might be able to help answer her questions.

Here's the situation: Dr. Gold is setting up a research project to investigate the benefits of online support groups for low- income women in the Detroit area who have recently suffered the loss of … Read more

TechCrunch's Jason Kincaid asks, "Since when did my data become a bartering tool?"

Answer? Ever since we started ceding control of our code and our data to the cloud.

One response is easy: demand that the underlying source code behind Web services be open source. No, 99.999 percent of the population won't be able to do anything with it. But .001 percent will, and that's the percentage required to ensure that your data remains your data. The interim response is, of course, competition simply based on data retention policies.

Kincaid's complaint stems from … Read more

Lock company Schlage is launching Schlage Link, a suite of products to allow over-the-Web control of a home's locks, lights, and thermostats. It also integrates with Webcams.

The new lock is the centerpiece of the system (as we would expect from a lock company). It can be opened by key, with a four-digit code, or through the online and mobile sites. The lock can also alert its owners via a mobile message when it's opened or tampered with (when incorrect codes are entered multiple times in a row).

An online control center lets you program the system to … Read more

Despite a pretty interface, we weren't won over by this limited encryption tool. For some of our testers, KaKa File Encryption served up an error on first launch. The interface appeared after the message was cleared, but it wasn't a good first impression.

You don't need to install this executable; simply launch it when you want to use it. The interface is attractive and simple with a window for displaying selected files, a field to enter a password, and three command buttons: Add Files, Encrypt, and Close. The tiny Help file merely lists what the program offers, … Read more

The options seem endless with this privacy tool, which lets users lock files, functions, and even Web access. Our only complaint is that its Internet options only work with Internet Explorer.

WinLock Professional's user interface is very easy to navigate. All of your protection options are listed under drop-down style command buttons. There are way too many options to list, but the program includes settings for hiding files and folders, and disabling system features such as Windows' Registry Editor and Task Manager. You can also manage your Start Menu display, block specific hot key combinations and even mouse functions. … Read more

Larry Dignan at ZDNet calls out a significant customer concern with SaaS: data lock-in, particularly if a SaaS vendor goes out of business. How can a SaaS customer get its data out of a failed SaaS system without undergoing the burden of escrow agreements?

The answer is simple, but perhaps not palatable to SaaS vendors: open source a version of their software.

SugarCRM does this, letting its customers run SugarCRM "in the cloud" but giving them the code via an open-source license so that they can support their own deployment if necessary. Why couldn't a Salesforce.com … Read more

If an encryption program does its job, you're left with a feeling that your private information is safe and secure. After putting LockPhix to the test, we were left feeling apprehensive about our PC's security.

At first glance, the user interface seemed simple and to the point, a definite plus in our book. But it turned out that with LockPhix, looks are deceiving and we had problems from the get-go. First, the program's limited browsing capabilities prevented us from finding the file we wanted to encrypt. Also, the password manager's empty fields aren't immediately intuitive, … Read more

This full-service encryption program easily and effectively protects files on your PC and when they're sent to others.

Lavasoft Digital Lock's user interface is straightforward and easy to navigate. The left-hand buttons are self-explanatory, but helpful explanations for each one are displayed on the right side of the screen to further help new users. The program supports drag-and-drop functionality to add files, and we were impressed by the options (shred, delete, or leave) for the source file after encrypting it. The log file also provides users with encryption activity and information.

What really sets this program apart are … Read more