 I've been using APO for six months now, and I love it. I am in a position where I have to carry confidential information around sometimes. APO has been fabulous for that purpose. I don't worry about the security of my information, and the ability to have multiple keys with multiple passwords is very helpful. Also, I find it easy to navigate and very user friendly. To be honest, I don't really have any beefs with the program so far. Well worth the money I paid for it. Kim |
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A P O Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
- How complicated is APO to use?
- How do I know I will be able to get my important data back once it is encrypted?
- I don't need the same protection as the National Security Agency. Should I be looking for something designed for business use?
- I password protect my sensitive documents. Isn't that safe enough?
- 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?
How complicated is APO to use?
APO has an instructional video that will take you step by step through the set-up and features. Once your software is set up, the process of encrypting and decrypting is all automated.
How do I know I will be able to get my important data back once it is encrypted?
This is a common fear when it comes to encryption. That is why we have submitted our software to an independent lab set up by the U.S., Canadian, and British federal governments. These governments got together and developed the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS). By obtaining FIPS certification, we have shown that an independent lab has certified that we implement our encryption and decryption process properly. All our client software has been FIPS 140-2 certified.
I don't need the same protection as the National Security Agency. Should I be looking for something designed for business use?
You are absolutely correct. Most companies need encryption, but they don't need to take it to the same level as the NSA. That is why we have created a flexible system that allows you to choose the amount of security that is right for you. With APO you can choose the features you want:
- Single or 2 factor (Click here for explanation)
- Entire drive or individual folder encryption
- Single pass or triple pass file shredding
- Embedded keys or shared keys
- Single sign-on keys or separate password
- Temporary memory shredding or not
I password protect my sensitive documents. Isn't that safe enough?
Password protected documents are not safe. No matter how complicated you make the password, there is free software available for download that will open the document in less than 30 second.
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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.
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
Which AES mode of operation does A P O Encryption use?
A P O encryption utilizes AES in cipher-block chaining (CBC) mode.
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.
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.
What is FIPS 140-2 certification?