 TITLE: Should I Encrypt Sensitive Files on My Computer? CONTENT: What Are the Benefits of Encrypting Sensitive Files on Your Computer?\n---------------------------------------------------------------------\nEncrypting sensitive files on your computer can help keep the information within those files private. Requiring a login password to open your computer might be a helpful step to keep a roommate from snooping, but files can be copied from your hard drive in other ways. Or, someone may be able to get remote access to your computer without you realizing it.\nIf your files are encrypted, people without the key won't be able to open or use the information they've stolen. Additionally, your employer may require you to encrypt files on your computer if you're working from home, or if you work with companies that share private information with you.\nThere are drawbacks as well. For example, once your information is encrypted, it will be nearly impossible to decrypt without the key. Which means you might lose access to your own files if you forget your password or otherwise lose access to the method used to unlock them. And, if the password you use to access your encrypted files isn't very strong, that may be a weak link even if the encryption itself is strong.\nEven with all this in mind, encrypting sensitive files is often worth your effort, particularly because it's not necessarily difficult to do. END