Encryption & Passwords

A modern, deliberately small command-line tool for encrypting files, designed as a simpler successor to GPG for that one job. Keys are short strings you can manage by hand, and it composes cleanly with scripts and backups. It only encrypts files, with no email integration and no signing, which is exactly the point.

An open-source password manager with polished apps on every platform and a free tier that covers unlimited passwords and devices. Your vault is encrypted on your device before it syncs, so the company cannot read it. You still depend on Bitwarden's cloud for sync, though the open server code means you can move to self-hosting later.

An open-source tool that encrypts files on your machine before they reach Dropbox, Google Drive, or any cloud folder, so the provider stores only scrambled data. It is a practical middle path: keep cloud convenience without letting the cloud read your files. Desktop apps are free, mobile apps cost a one-time fee, and filenames are encrypted too.

A free, open-source password manager that stores your vault as a single encrypted file on your own machine, with no company, no cloud, and no account involved. It is the most sovereign starting point for password management. The tradeoff is that syncing between devices is your job, usually via a file-sync tool you choose and configure.

A lightweight, community-built server that speaks the Bitwarden protocol, letting you run password syncing on your own hardware while keeping the official Bitwarden apps. Your encrypted vault never touches anyone else's cloud. You take on real responsibility, though: backups, updates, and securing the server are yours, and a botched setup risks locking yourself out.

Free, open-source disk encryption that creates encrypted containers or encrypts entire drives, including hidden volumes that are difficult to prove exist. It is the audited, actively maintained successor to TrueCrypt. Everything happens locally with keys only you hold; the cost is a dated interface and the discipline to never lose your passphrase.

A hardware security key that plugs into USB or taps via NFC to prove it is really you logging in, defeating phishing in a way app-based codes cannot. It is the strongest practical upgrade for account security. The firmware is closed source and keys cost real money; buy two, because losing your only key hurts.