Microsoft Private Folder

Microsoft Private Folder is a free security application that enables you to protect personal information found on your computer. It should be used on an XP computer that is shared by two or more people, at home or at work.

Secure the content of a personal folder

With the help of this software, you ca set up a folder called My Private Folder, which is protected by the password you specify. Since you are dealing with a folder, this saves you a lot of time, being an ideal alternative to separately password-protecting each file.
Just select a bunch of private files, move them to this special folder and they can no longer be accessed by unauthorized users.

Offers minimum amount of protection

What needs to be mentioned is the fact that Microsoft Private Folder is not designed to block hackers, so if you have more sensitive information that others could use against you, then you should probably go for a more powerful form of security.

Don't forget the specified password

Microsoft Private Folder requires minimum time for installation. When you set and confirm the password, you can see a strength indicator provided by the software – the stronger the password, the harder it is for others to break it.
Remember that since this is a basic tool that does not have an additional online platform, you don't have the possibility of selecting "Forgot your password?". If you forget your password, you will not be able to access the private folder or the data it stores.

A few configurable settings

The system tray icon of Microsoft Private Folder features several functions that allows you to set the Idle Time Before Auto-Lock, change the password, import/export encrypted files, or remove My Private Folder.

To sum it up

All in all, Microsoft Private Folder is a small and efficient tool that you can use for your personal files only, as other software can be more effective when it comes to top-notch security. Its mostly oriented towards small environments or home computers with a few users.