What is VeraCrypt
VeraCrypt is a free and open-source disk-encryption software for Windows, Linux, and macOS. It let’s you encrypt your whole drive, a volume on your drive, or simply a container (essentially a single file that holds more files within it).
When encrypted, you can’t know what’s stored within and once decrypted, they behave like normal file system so you wouldn’t feel much difference when using them (I say much because there’s a slight difference in performance).
Why use VeraCrypt
The main reason to use VeraCrypt is privacy. If your laptop gets stolen, or your external drive gets lost, encrypted data will be useless to whoever finds it. Even with access to your computer, without the password or encryption key, your files will remain inaccessible.
Another big plus is plausible deniability. VeraCrypt supports hidden volumes, with this, you can reveal a decoy set of files while keeping sensitive files truly hidden.
Common use cases
- Creating a secure container of sensitive documents.
- Storing backups securely.
- Encrypting your external drives.