FileGuard X5 helps Mac users protect their sensitive files
(18/01/2008)

To help Mac users protect their sensitive files, Intego has released FileGuard X5, a free upgrade to its data protection program, which creates virtual safes where users can store their most secret documents.

Everyone has confidential files on their Mac: financial records, business documents, personal journals, private e-mail and more. When a Mac is lost or stolen, these files are easily accessible, and could provide thieves with valuable information.

FileGuard X5 creates virtual safes that can be used to store sensitive files. Users can store safes on file servers or external disks, and can keep them on home or office Macs with no risk of anyone opening them. They can even send FileGuard X5 safes to friends, family or colleagues, who can access files contained in those safes, as long as they have the password, even if they don't have FileGuard X5 software. FileGuard X5 can create safes of any size, for any kind of document, and also create special safes to protect e-mail and instant messaging transcripts.

FileGuard X5's safes are accessible from the Finder, and open with a double-click. Safes act like folders; users can add files to them by simply dragging files to a safe’s icon, and FileGuard X5 can securely delete original files when this is done. Safes have floating avatars, unique icons that display above other windows, so users can drag files to them regardless of which other windows are visible. Users can also access safes from the Intego menu, located in the Mac OS X menu bar, and from standard Open and Save dialogs.

FileGuard X5 continues to provide secure data protection for Mac OS X, and adds new functions to make the program even more secure and easier to use. Among the program’s new features are the addition of 256-bit encryption; the ability to convert safes to folders; and automatic secure deletion of files when added to safes.

FileGuard X5's key features include:
• Stores sensitive files in secure virtual safes
• Industry-standard encryption makes safes unbreakable
• 256-bit encryption available under Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
• Users can create as many safes as they need
• A different password can be set for each safe
• Safes can be created by drag-and-drop, or from the Intego menu
• Safes can be converted to folders
• Files can be securely deleted when added to folders
• Safes increase in capacity as more files are added
• Safes can be changed in size, or compressed to save space
• Safes can be opened by a simple double-click in the Finder
• Protects sensitive files on laptops in case of loss or theft
• Protects files on portable media, such as iPods or USB key drives
• Safes work like folders - files can be dragged to and from safes
• Safe icons indicate their status (open or closed)
• Floating windows provide access to safes at all times
• Safes can be sent by e-mail, or stored on servers or external disks
• Read and write permissions can be set for safes stored on shared volumes

System Requirements: Mac OS X 10.4 or higher (Tiger and Leopard). Certain features are only available with Mac OS X Leopard.

FileGuard X5 is available now; it is a free upgrade for owners of FileGuard X4.

“As more people use laptops, their sensitive files are at risk,” said Laurent Marteau, CEO of Intego. “Anyone who finds or steals a laptop can access all its files, so Mac users need to protect their confidential data with a tool like FileGuard X5. The potential cost of losing such information is huge, and protecting confidential files with FileGuard X5 is as easy as opening a folder and entering a password.”