The other day I got a question on what was the best password protection for an external hard drive. The answer, like all good answers, depends. For example, is the password associated with data encryption software like AlertBoot? Or are we literally talking about password-protection and nothing else? Because, depending on the circumstances, one offers protection and the other doesn't.
Generally, speaking, password protection refers to that little prompt that won't let you into a computer, folder, or file without providing the correct password. It's an obstacle of sorts, like a locked door. In the physical world, if a door is locked, you can always get in through the window. Or kick the door down. In other words, the door can be bypassed. Likewise, password-protection has its virtual-world equivalent of bypassing. While doing so would have required some advanced knowledge in the past, search engines make the process too easy. Now, you don't have to know anything; all you have to do is look it up.
Generally, speaking, password protection refers to that little prompt that won't let you into a computer, folder, or file without providing the correct password. It's an obstacle of sorts, like a locked door. In the physical world, if a door is locked, you can always get in through the window. Or kick the door down. In other words, the door can be bypassed.
Likewise, password-protection has its virtual-world equivalent of bypassing. While doing so would have required some advanced knowledge in the past, search engines make the process too easy. Now, you don't have to know anything; all you have to do is look it up.
Generally, encryption software tends to use passwords as well. More often than not, you'll see the same password prompt (which may be the reason why people confuse encryption with password-protection and vice-versa). However, this is for convenience only; what happens is that providing the correct password in turns authorizes the encryption software to decrypt any protected data. In other words, what's actually protecting a digital file is not the password itself, but the encryption. The password is but a shortcut, so any attempts to bypass its use will only bring a hacker face to face with the actual data protection "mechanism" in place: the encryption algorithm. And, this is one of the hardest things to break. So hard that governments around the world fund covert organizations to (hopefully) break them. Encryption is a powerful method of data protection.
Generally, encryption software tends to use passwords as well. More often than not, you'll see the same password prompt (which may be the reason why people confuse encryption with password-protection and vice-versa).
However, this is for convenience only; what happens is that providing the correct password in turns authorizes the encryption software to decrypt any protected data. In other words, what's actually protecting a digital file is not the password itself, but the encryption.
The password is but a shortcut, so any attempts to bypass its use will only bring a hacker face to face with the actual data protection "mechanism" in place: the encryption algorithm. And, this is one of the hardest things to break. So hard that governments around the world fund covert organizations to (hopefully) break them. Encryption is a powerful method of data protection.