Product Overview of AxCrypt
AxCrypt is a robust and user-friendly encryption software designed to protect sensitive files and data, making it an essential tool for both individual users and businesses. Here’s a detailed look at what AxCrypt does and its key features.
What AxCrypt Does
AxCrypt is a file encryption solution that secures your files using advanced encryption algorithms, ensuring that your data remains confidential and protected from unauthorized access. It is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems, as well as mobile devices, although mobile apps are limited to decryption capabilities.
Key Features and Functionality
Encryption
AxCrypt employs the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) with 128-bit or 256-bit keys in Counter mode, along with a random initialization vector (IV) for data encryption. For enhanced security, it uses HMAC-SHA512 for integrity verification.
Tiers of Service
- Free Tier: Provides basic features such as AES-128 encryption, community support, key sharing permissions, and an integrated viewer. However, Mac users have limited access to only the viewer in the free tier.
- Premium Tier: Available for $3.75/month, this tier includes AES-256 encryption, access to the AxCrypt mobile app for decryption, automatic cloud storage encryption for Google Drive and Dropbox, password management, and secure file-wiping. This tier significantly enhances the security and functionality of the software.
- Business Tier: At $9.92/month, this tier adds dedicated account management, expanded permissions for business administrators, and the ability to recover lost files.
Key Sharing
AxCrypt’s key sharing feature allows users to securely share encrypted files without disclosing their passwords. This is achieved through asymmetrical encryption using RSA-4096 public and private key pairs. Recipients can access shared files using their own passwords, and access can be revoked at any time. This feature is built on Zero-Knowledge Encryption, ensuring AxCrypt has no access to your files or passwords.
Secure File Management
- File Wipe: AxCrypt offers a secure file-wiping feature, available to Premium subscribers, which permanently deletes files by overwriting the data, making it unrecoverable through hard drive forensics.
- Cloud Storage Integration: AxCrypt integrates with cloud storage services like Google Drive and Dropbox, automatically encrypting files stored in these platforms.
- Password Management: Users can manage passwords through AxCrypt’s website, and the software includes a password generator to help create strong, unique passwords.
User Experience
The software features a straightforward and intuitive interface. Users can encrypt files by simply dragging and dropping them into the AxCrypt viewer. Additional features such as anonymous file renaming, secured folder addition, and language settings are accessible through the top menu bar.
Mobile App
While the mobile app (available for iOS and Android) is limited to viewing encrypted files, it provides a convenient way to access secured content on the go. Users need to enter their email and AxCrypt password to access the app.
Security and Privacy
AxCrypt prioritizes security and privacy through several measures:
- Zero-Knowledge Encryption: Ensures that AxCrypt does not have access to your account password or files.
- Master Password Hashing: Uses PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA512 for secure password hashing.
- Key Wrapping: Employs key wrapping with a high number of iterations to counter brute-force attacks.
In summary, AxCrypt is a comprehensive encryption solution that offers robust security features, ease of use, and versatile functionality, making it a reliable choice for securing sensitive data across various platforms.