Just looking over the list of Microsoft vulnerabilities, including the infamous Microsoft Passport security hole last year, is enough to make any IT pro tremble. Data doesn't seem to be safe anywhere, whether it's stored on a workstation, the Web, or a PDA or sent via e-mail, wireless networks, or the Internet.
One of the best ways to secure data, whether in storage or in transit, is by using PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) by PGP. Since the program's creation, PGP has always been more than pretty good. It's been cutting-edge. PGP was invented in 1991 by Phil Zimmermann, and it's been distributed free in some version ever since. The software is now available as freeware and as commercial enterprise, desktop, and personal versions for Windows OSes (95-XP), Macintosh (OS9 and OSX), Palm, and Windows CE.
Compatibility
All PGP versions secure e-mail and stored data; the enterprise and desktop editions even encrypt ICQ messages. The enterprise version adds administration tools and a keyserver, which works with Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes, and Novell GroupWise servers. The desktop version, useful for SOHO operations, provides the same level of encryption but without the admin and server apps. The mobile computing version for Palm provides e-mail and disk protection. Windows CE devices get only mail protection.
PGP Personal is similar to the workgroup product but works only on ISP e-mails. The freeware, licensed to home users and nonprofits only, protects desktop e-mail and files. It lacks many of the cool commercial features, such as automatic encryption and plug-ins for Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, and other e-mail programs.
PGP requires a Pentium 166 or greater processor and 32 MB of hard disk space. It runs on Windows 9x, Me, Windows NT 4 (Service Pack 6a), Windows 2000 (Service Pack 3), and Windows XP (Service Pack 1).
Licence fees
Information about licensing is available from the PGP Web site. The various licenses are named subscription, perpetual, and personal. You can purchase upgrade insurance, as well as additional level 2 support. Fees range from US$25 to US$325 per seat. You can find the current prices at PGP's Online Store. Note that with the exception of a perpetual licence, all other licenses expire after one year.
How does it work?
PGP uses a modified two-key cryptographic system. This is far more secure than simple cryptography, in which the same code is used to encrypt and decode data. (Data Encryption Standard, or DES, is a simple cryptographic system used by ATM machines.) The downside to simple cryptography is that you risk your single private key any time it's in transit to the recipient.
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