password protect CD

<p>What is the best way to password protect images on a CD ? is it possible ? Trying to protect a folder in XP, will not let me choose 'make this folde private'. HELP !</p>

<p>ISO9660, the basic standard CD filesystem, doesn't support encryption, access control lists, etc. There have been a number of extensions to ISO9660 over the years to add things like long filename support, but for the most part, they still generate ISO9660-compatible discs, meaning that there's still no security underlying them. So, basically, you should expect that any file you put on a CD is readable by anyone with a CD drive.</p>

 

<p>That means you'll have to do something like putting the images in an archive (e.g. a ZIP file*) which is password-protected, then burning the archive file to a CD.</p>

 

<p>*: The encryption scheme used in the original specs for the ZIP format is very weak, but will at least deter casual snooping. Most newer ZIP utilities (e.g. PKZip and WinZip versions from the last several years) offer stronger encryption options; XP's built-in "compressed folder" implementation of ZIP files doesn't, and it won't be able to read these files at all.</p>

<p>The disk itself will always be readable by anyone who has it in their hands. The <em>files</em> you put on the CD can be protected, within reason, by encrypting them. As Steve points out, a modern ZIPping tool can do it, but the people for whom you intend the data will need an equally up to date tool to de-crypt the files. And, of course, once they're decrypted and readable by that person, they can be passed along to anyone.<br /><br />The real solution is to have a business model or licensing/contract arrangement that makes this a non-issue in the first place. Can you describe the business/technical circumstances that are making you need this feature?</p>

<p>Circumstances ? I have some images that I need to store & no one else needs to see. I also need to be able to access them when needed.</p>

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<p>Circumstances ? I have some images that I need to store & no one else needs to see. I also need to be able to access them when needed.</p>

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<p>Everyone's thinking it...I'm' just going to post it...</p>

<p>P O R N :p</p>

<p>EDIT: This is a joke unless I hit the nail on the head..<br />RS</p>

<p>There are file encryption utilities available (e.g. openssl, aescrypt) that work well or even 7-zip that has AES encryption built in.</p>

<p>Gregory: I'm not trying to pry into your business, I'm trying to understand the scenario, the better to offer suggestions that might involve approaches you're not thinking of. From your original post, I presumed you were talking about the need to deliver images to someone else, but under controlled circumstances.<br /><br />If this is just for your own storage purposes, it's easy. Use pkZIP (or any WinZIP, etc), and zip up a CD's worth of files, giving the ZIP program a nice stout password with which to encrypt that archive file. Then just burn that .ZIP file to the CD like you would any other file. When you want the data back, unZIP the file back into a folder on your computer - and the unZIPping program will prompt you for a password before it can proceed. If you need truly serious encryption, there are other methods ... but the ZIP file, with a long password used during encryption, is going to stop anyone that's likely to ever, ever matter.<br /><br />Also: make double or triple redundant copies of those discs. They're cheap, and it's worth it. In a few year's time, copy the encrypted ZIP file off of a good disc, and burn it to another set, to keep the optical media fresh. You can also park those encrypted ZIP files onto an inexpensive external USB disk drive or two, and put those on a shelf somewhere separate. The data will still be just as password protected.</p>

<p>A far better solution would be to use a large capacity flash drive which can be encrypted. Alternatively hide it physically if you really want it to be a secret.<br>

I keep a lot of personal documents and passwords on a flash drive in a drawer out of my hard drive in the case of PC security problems and so far its saved me a lot of grief.</p>