SyNet Shows New Security Tools

Secure Send encrypts files, while PC-Keeper protects shared systems.

Randy Ross, PC World

NEW YORK-- Securing data and shared PCs is about to get easier: SyNet Electronics has announced two programs, Secure Send and PC-Keeper, for those tasks.

The products are making their debut at the CeBIT America conference here this week.

Securing Transmissions

Secure Send is a $29.95 encryption program designed to let PC users encrypt and decrypt files for sending over the Internet, storing on a hard drive, or distributing via CD, DVD, or other media. When data is encrypted, Secure Send attaches a decryption applet to the file. As a result, you can send a file to someone who doesn't own the program. To open the file, all the recipient needs is a password created by the sender.

The program also offers a variety of options to control the amount of access to the file. For example, you can limit how many times someone opens the file, whether they can print it, or how many days they can open it.

Secure Send works with popular file formats, including those created by Microsoft Office applications. Alhough it can encrypt JPEG graphics files, the program can't encrypt other graphics file formats, such as TIFF or GIF. The next version of the product will work with these file formats, according to Harry Rhim, SyNet CEO.

The program will be available in a downloadable 30-day demo version from SyNet Electronics, according to Rhim.

Managing Multiple Users

The other new product, PC-Keeper, secures PCs shared by several users. The program is designed to help prevent mishaps when a system is used by multiple people in settings such as a home, business, or educational institution.

The $49.95 program saves system configuration information and allows a PC to revert back to that configuration every time it is rebooted. So, if a user (or one of your kids) downloads a piece of malicious software that damages the system, a reboot returns the system to its original configuration, according to SyNet representatives.

The program also restricts certain activities to a person designated as the system administrator. For example, they can be the only user permitted to add software or to allow files to be added to certain directories.