A P O Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
- What encryption algorithm does A P O Encryption use?
- How secure is A P O Encryption?
- Does it take a long time to encrypt a file?
- Is the encrypted file significantly larger than the original file?
- What happens if I lose my encryption key?
- What special features does A P O Encryption have other than encryption?
- Which AES mode of operation does A P O Encryption use?
- What is 'permanent deletion'?
- What benefits does A P O Encryption have over the Encrypting File System (EFS) built into Windows?
- What is FIPS 140-2 certification?
What encryption algorithm does A P O Encryption use?
A P O utilizes the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm for data encryption. In November 2001, after a 5 year standardization process, AES was adopted by the US government as the encryption algorithm for use in securing sensitive and classified government and military information.
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How secure is A P O Encryption?
A P O uses an encryption key length of 256 bits. This is the maximum key length supported by the AES algorithm. In June of 2003, the US National Security Agency stated that:
"The design and strength of all key lengths of the AES algorithm (i.e., 128, 192 and 256) are sufficient to protect classified information up to the SECRET level. TOP SECRET information will require use of either the 192 or 256 key lengths."
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Does it take a long time to encrypt a file?
The AES encryption process is extremely fast. For example, on a current computer, A P O can encrypt a 25 megabyte file in approximately 1.3 seconds. Encryption time is affected by the speed of the computer's processor and the speed of the storage media containing the file.
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Is the encrypted file significantly larger than the original file?
A P O's encryption process introduces very little increase in the size of the encrypted data. For example, a 25 megabyte file increases in size by approximately 0.003% when encrypted.
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What happens if I lose my encryption key?
A P O does not contain any ‘backdoors' or key recovery mechanisms, as they would jeopardize the security of the product. It is the responsibility of the A P O user to store a copy of their key in a safe location. All of your encrypted files will be irrevocably lost if you lose your key.
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What special features does A P O Encryption have other than encryption?
A P O Encryption has several notable file management features that set it apart from the built-in windows file browser:
- Allows you to reliably and securely manage files on your Pocket PC.
- Contains a configurable list of favorite folders allowing you to navigate to these folders with a single mouse click.
- 'Quick Paste' remembers the folders to which you recently copied documents. This allows you to quickly paste additional documents to these folders without having to navigate to them.
- Does not 'freeze' when you insert or remove a CD/DVD.
- Easily configured to automatically open your most often used folder every time you start A P O.
- The A P O Encryption user interface supports tabbed file browsing for easier file management.
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Which AES mode of operation does A P O Encryption use?
A P O encryption utilizes AES in cipher-block chaining (CBC) mode.
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What is 'permanent deletion'?
When you delete a file in Windows, the file is not truly deleted from your hard disk. File recovery utilities can recover deleted files, sometimes months after the file was deleted. A P O Encryption implements the U.S. Department of Defense clearing and sanitizing standard DOD 5220.22-M. This standard ensures that the contents of a file are shredded using a three-pass algorithm. To ensure an attacker cannot recover the name of deleted files, A P O Encryption also shreds the file's name after its contents are shredded.
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What benefits does A P O Encryption have over the Encrypting File System (EFS) built into Windows?
A1: A P O Encryption allows you to copy your encrypted files to other devices and to backup media. EFS binds your encrypted files to the Windows computer on which they were encrypted. Your files are decrypted before Windows copies them to a new device or backup media.
A2: EFS does not permanently delete your original unencrypted files.
This allows an attacker to recover your files using a file recovery utility. A P O Encryption permanently deletes your original unencrypted files by implementing the U.S. Department of Defense clearing and sanitizing standard DOD 5220.22-M.
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What is FIPS 140-2 certification?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIPS_140
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