F-Secure Desktop Version 2.0 for all Windows environments Released

F-Secure Desktop provides unmatched ease-of-use for the protection of confidential files in the Windows environment

HELSINKI, FINLAND - Data Fellows, a leader in computer security, announced a new version of their award winning F-Secure Desktop product today. F-Secure Desktop software offers industry-leading comfort and security for the protection of sensitive data in every Windows environment. The cryptographic power of the product is not compromised by the US export restrictions. F-Secure Desktop is available world-wide.

F-Secure Desktop integrates cryptography with the Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 3.1x user interfaces. Daily decryption and encryption routines become an automatic part of Windows logon and logoff processes.

"F-Secure Desktop brings a new degree of protection to personal files, directories, and folders," says Mr. Camillo Särs, Product Manager of F-Secure Desktop. "I strongly believe that every PC user should test this product." Managing your secret files is easier than ever using the F-Secure Desktop Explorer, an easy-to-use graphical user interface. F-Secure Desktop 2.0 also now allows you to attach encrypted packages to your e-mail.

Ease of use has not limited the cryptographic strength or speed of F-Secure Desktop, which now features both triple DES (Data Encryption Standard) and Blowfish ciphers with 168 and 256 bit keys respectively.

Easy-to-use encryption features

F-Secure Desktop is distinctive in its ease-of-use, which is the result of a combination of new features implemented in the product.

  • Secret and TopSecret files – F-Secure Desktop automatically encrypts selected files, directories, and folders during Windows log off. Secret files are decrypted during Windows log on, but TopSecret files must always be decrypted manually.
  • F-Secure Desktop Explorer – Managing Secret and TopSecret files is fast and easy using the new graphical user interface.
  • Encryption and decryption menu – F-Secure Desktop becomes part of the file management subsystem of the user’s PC. In Windows 3.11, there is an additional F-Secure menu in File Manager. In Windows 95 and NT 4.0 F-Secure Desktop is integrated directly with the Windows Explorer
  • Wizard and Control Panel programs – Installation and configuration are done by the F-Secure Desktop Wizard. All settings can also be easily changed with the Control Panel application.
  • Encrypted Packages – Files can be stored in an self-extracting encrypted package that opens on any Windows computer. Decryption only requires the correct one-time passphrase.
  • Backup – The user can create a backup disk with a key to decrypt files. This can also easily be carried out in a corporate environment.

Cryptographic features

F-Secure Desktop cryptographic features provide industry-strength security.

  • Encryption and decryption engine – The crypto-engine uses proven Blowfish or mature 3DES technology.
  • Master key encryption – Files are encrypted using individual random keys, which in turn are protected by the Desktop master key. The same file encrypted twice thus yields different ciphertexts.
  • Sufficient length of the key – The length of the Blowfish master key is 256 bits which is twice the size recommended for strong encryption. The strength of the cryptography is not limited by any US cryptographic export regulations. Without the key, even the current global computing power could not break the F-Secure Desktop encryption in a billion years.
  • Speedy encryption – Blowfish is one of the fastest encryption technologies available.
  • DoD standard file overwriting -- The decrypted files are overwritten with random data once; three times according to DoD standards; or seven times for high security.

F-Secure Desktop platforms, pricing, and availability

The F-Secure Desktop product family consists of two products. Both are available today world-wide for Windows 3.11, Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 platforms.

  • F-Secure Desktop -- This is a commercial product available from Data Fellows and F-Secure business partners worldwide. F-Secure Desktop is priced at $99.
  • F-Secure Desktop Home & Educational Edition -- This is a freeware software for home use only. It is available for download from our software Gallery. Its cryptographic strength is equal to the commercial version but some other features have been removed. This product may not be used commercially.

F-Secure product family background

F-Secure means industry standard cryptography from Data Fellows. The F-Secure product family consists of solutions from Data Fellows for the protection of sensitive Windows and UNIX communications and data.

The F-Secure product line was introduced in April 1996 with the launch of F-Secure SSH. F-Secure SSH secures TCP/IP terminal communications in UNIX and Windows environments. The F-Secure family has since been extended by F-Secure SSH for Macintosh, F-Secure VPN for connecting multiple local area networks into secure virtual private network over the Internet, F-Secure Commerce for securing electronic commerce on Internet, F-Secure Intranet for securing web-based communication in companies and F-Secure Desktop for protecting data on PC computers.