Open-source encryption software gets update

The latest version of popular open-source encryption software TrueCrypt is available for download.

The free open-source disk-encryption software for Windows Vista/XP/2000 and Linux allows people to encrypt an entire hard disk partition or a storage device such as USB flash drive, and create a virtual encrypted disk within a file and mount it as a real disk.

TrueCrypt 4.3 features full compatibility with 32-bit and 64-bit Windows Vista, and support for devices and file systems that use a sector size other than 512 bytes — such as hard drives, USB flash drives, and DVD-RAM.

The latest version of TrueCrypt will also auto-dismount when a host device such as a USB flash drive is inadvertently removed.

TrueCrypt claims that there are "many significant improvements" to its software. "Some portions of the TrueCrypt device driver have been completely redesigned and several bugs have been fixed," the organisation said.