DiskCryptor Alternatives

DiskCryptor

DiskCryptor is the only truly free solution, provided under GNU General Public License (GPLv3), which offers encryption of all disk partitions, including the system partition. The main criteria for open-source software is the availability of its source code under one of the open source licenses. The only open-source alternative to DiskCryptor that has comparable features is TrueCrypt. However, because of the restrictive license under which TrueCrypt is provided — the TrueCrypt Collective License — TrueCrypt cannot be classified as a truly free software, as it places limits on the use and modification of its source code by developers. There are other alternatives with similar functionality, but they are fully proprietary ones, which makes them unacceptable to use for protection of confidential data.

Originally, DiskCryptor was conceived as a replacement for DriveCrypt Plus Pack and PGP Whole Disk Encryption (WDE). Now, however, the aim of the development of the project is to create the best product in its category. Moreover, in the future, considerable effort will be devoted to the creation of detailed documentation, explaining the internal mechanics of the program, which would be the best confirmation and demonstration of its security.

DiskCryptor releases from 0.1 to 0.4 were fully compatible with TrueCrypt, as they used a corresponding partition format and encrypted data with AES-256 algorithm in LRW mode. Starting from DiskCryptor 0.5, the program relies upon its own partition format, developed specifically for encrypting partitions with data on them, as TrueCrypt format has been originally meant for creation of empty volumes. That move allowed for an increase in DiskCryptors stability, eliminated many problems associated with file systems, and created an optimal format for further development of the program.