Elantra EncryptNT
EncryptNT is an Australian disk encryption tool. As the name suggests, the product runs under Windows NT4.0 SP5 and above, and can be used on a single workstation or by multiple users across a network.
OK, it’s not quite that bad. During installation you create a set of master keys, so should you lose the key or perhaps a disgruntled employee changes the encryption key, you can still restore the data with the master key (which you have obviously kept out of circulation and locked away in the company vault).
The installation procedure, while not difficult, is nevertheless long-winded when compared to some of the other packages. It’s a two-step procedure, first install the software and then reboot, login using your new password, and then configure. And while we are on the subject of login, you’ll get stuck at this point until you read the manual and find out the default user name is ”encryptnt”. One strange aspect of the setup process is that you must create a temporary password, which you must then replace a couple of minutes later with a permanent encryption account password.
Two keys are used to generate the master encryption keys; you can choose to generate the keys using the software’s own random phrase, random text generators, or use your own.
The software effectively integrates into Windows: if you need to encrypt a partition, right click on it, select Properties, and you will find an EncryptNT tab. From here, providing you have the rights of course, you can encrypt the partition in DES, IDEA, or Triple DES formats. The initial encryption is not blindingly fast, and even if you only have a small amount of data on the partition it still takes time, as the entire partition must be encrypted. For example we had a 10GB partition with just 456MB used, and it took our 1.7GHz Dell around 47 minutes to complete the task. Of course once completed, on the test system at least, the saving and retrieving of files from the partition was very fast, the encryption and decryption were quite transparent.
Initially, only the default user has access to the encrypted partitions. Other Windows users can be added and configured from the EncryptNT Settings control panel. Each user can be assigned various levels of rights on different partitions and removable media, and you can grant or deny the ability to change system settings and other users’ settings. The user can be disallowed encryption on a particular device, allowed standard encryption, or interchange encryption mode. For each of the three modes, the user can be assigned various read and write access combinations.
| Product: | EncryptNT |
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| Price: | AU$$247.50 workstation, AU$1098.90 server (discount for volumes) |
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| Vendor: | Elantra |
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| Phone: | (02) 9994 8044 |
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| Web: | www.elantra.com.au |
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| Interoperability: |
½As the name suggests, the program runs under Windows NT, 2000, and XP only. |
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| Futureproofing: |
Good value considering the ease of use and functionality. |
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| ROI: |
½
Encrypts regular and RAID partitions and removable media. |
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| Service: |
Phone and e-mail support. 18 percent maintenance fee includes e-mail, phone support, and updates. |
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| Rating: |
½ |
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7%
1%
