Advanced password cracking techniques mean that determined hackers can access folders and files on vulnerable computers. Our guide on protecting your smart home will get you started.įor more on keeping your personal information safe, be sure to check out these tips to prevent identity theft and our picks for the best identity theft protection tools.Just as you wouldn’t leave piles of cash or private documents lying around your house in plain sight, you shouldn’t rely on just your Windows login password to keep your most sensitive data secure. Using strong passwords, choosing the right smart home tech, and more can prevent bad actors from accessing your files. Installing the extra protection of an antivirus or anti-malware program helps keep your whole system safe as well as individual files and folders.

You can store them in a lockbox on a USB drive or external hard drive. As an extra measure, make an unprotected archived copy of documents that you password protect. Use a password manager to keep track of file and folder passwords. Make sure to keep a backup of all your important files and folders.įew things are worse than forgetting the password to an important document. Some, like 7-Zip, are free, while others like Folder Guard must be purchased.Įven if something is protected with a password, it can still be deleted.

There are a number of programs available to help you encrypt data or password protect folders and files. You can archive sensitive files, compress them, and encrypt the contents with a required password. Because it’s difficult to set up foolproof file protection from a determined hacker, it’s smart to use redundant security protocols and other privacy tools when possible beyond a locked folder with encrypted files.

Secure a folder