Cloak 6.0

If you want to hide information effectively, then look no further than steganography, the process of encrypting data within bitmapped pictures.

Cloak performs this process using either Blowfish, Mercury or 128bit encryption algorithms, on top of which you can also add a password. Cloak is happy to encrypt any type of file, be it a document, spreadsheet, presentation, or an executable.

If you've never seen steganography in action, you'll feel like you're stepping into an episode of The X-Files. First you select your bitmapped image that's going to store the data. Any will do, but 24bit RGB photos work the best, and to be really discreet, the bmp file should measure at least 2.5 times that of the file being cloaked.

Once you've chosen a picture, simply select the file to be cloaked, choose the encryption algorithm, then enter a password. That's it; your file is now securely hidden within the picture - which looks exactly the same as before - and can still be printed or viewed without fear of revealing its true identity.

Open the picture in Cloak again, though, and one password later its contents are revealed. Should you be sending an encrypted image to someone without Cloak, they can download the free Cloak Viewer and 'uncloak' any file you send.

Purchase price: $45