dsCrypt

Among the options for keeping data protected from prying eyes is to encrypt it, and the Internet does not fall short of alternatives for carrying out this kind of job.
dsCrypt is one simple solution created specifically for encrypting data regardless of its nature. It does not require installation and works out of the box.

Minimalist looks, on the fly encryption

A single glance at the interface is all you need to understand the basic principle governing the application: drag an item and drop it into the main screen in order to encrypt it.
The next step ensuing from this action is straightforward and includes providing the protected password, which can be of any length you want. However, a longer string offers increased security.
The application does its magic automatically and the file added is automatically encrypted. A hint that the job is done is the addition of a new extension after the original one.
You can try changing it back to the original but this does not make the file work. Reverting the operation is also available in the program.

Simple configuration options

Setting the application up should not pose any trouble to a regular user and even a beginner could easily understand the options.
Among the choices there is the possibility to use the built-in PassPad utility that provides various characters you can use to protect the target file. This can be a tricky road, though, unless you have very good visual memory.
Also, to hide the fact that the file is encrypted you can choose not to append an extension or any other hint of protection. Additionally, dsCrypt is capable of saving and running a CRC (cyclic redundancy check) to make sure there is no error.

Conclusion

The application is extremely simple and does its job as it is supposed to. There aren’t any complicated settings available and working with it is as simple as dragging and dropping a file in the main screen and selecting a protective password for it.