The main protection measure for files stored on a computer with Windows 10 operating system is the users’ password; however, data protection specialists mention that, in case the user considers that their information requires additional security layers, it is possible to add them using a very simple method.
Although Microsoft does not have a password feature
to protect folders and files, it is possible to use a virtual hard disk and
BitLocker, the encryption tool built into the operating system, to add
additional security measures.
Below, data protection experts present the
steps for creating a password folder using this combination of tools available
in the professional version of the operating system. This method is based on
the configuration of a virtual hard disk with BitLocker,
which avoids the use of complex scripts or third party developments, which are
sometimes dangerous or deficient.
Create a virtual hard
drive
To create a virtual hard drive in Windows 10,
follow these steps:
- Go
to Start - Search
for Disk Management and click the first option to open the application - Click
the Action menu - Click
the Create VHD option
- Click
Browse to select a location for the virtual disk - Then
set a name for this drive (folder_vault, for example)
- Click
Save - In
the “Virtual Hard Disk Size” option, specify the amount of space you
want to reserve for this drive - In
the “Virtual Hard Disk Format” section, select the VHDX option (this
step is optional) - Select
Dynamically expanding option to increase size as files are stored on the
virtual hard disk
- Click
OK - Right-click
on “Disk x” and select the Initialize Disk option
- Check
the new Disk x. - Select
the MBR (Master Boot Record)
- Click
OK - Right-click
“Unallocated Space” and select the New Simple Volume option
- Click
Next - Use
the default settings for volume size
- Click
the Next button - Use
the “Assign the next drive letter” drop-down menu to select a letter
for the new drive
- Click
Next - Use
the “File System” drop-down menu and select the NTFS option - Use
the drop-down menu “Allocation Unit Size” and select the Default
option - In
the “Value Label” field, type a descriptive name for the unit. For
example, folder_vault - Check
the Perform a quick format option
- Clear
the Enable file and folder compression option. Keep this option disabled - Click
Next - Click
Finish
According to data protection experts, when
these steps are completed the virtual hard disk will be set up; this drive can
be treated as a folder, plus you can add a password using BitLocker.
Enable BitLocker on a
virtual hard disk
To set up BitLocker on a virtual hard disk in
Windows 10, follow these steps:
- Open
the control panel - Click
System and Security - Click
BitLocker Drive Encryption - In
the “Fixed Data Units” section, select the virtual drive that was
created earlier (folder_vault) - Click
Enable BitLocker
- Check
the Use a password option to unlock the drive
- You
must create a password to protect your folders within this virtual drive - Click
Next - Click
Save to a file
- Select
a location to store the recovery key. If you forget your password or lose your
recovery key, you will not be able to recover your files. You should make sure
to store this file in a secure location
- Click Save
- Click Next
- Select the option Encrypt Used Disk Space Only
- Click
Next - Select
the Compatibility Mode option
- Click
Next - Click
Start Encryption
- Click
the Close button when encryption is complete
At the end of this process, you can start using
the virtual storage drive as a password folder, as mentioned by data protection
experts.
Unlock folders with a
password
To access password-protected files and folders
in Windows 10, follow these steps:
- Open
File Explorer - Locate
the folder with the folder_vault.vhd file
- Double-click
the VHD (VHDX) file to mount it in File Explorer. It is normal to find the
message “Not accessible” or “Access denied”
- Click
This PC from the left panel - In
the “Devices and Drives” section, double-click the drive to open the
login page
- Enter
the password to unlock the encrypted disk. If you don’t remember the password,
click the More Options link, click Enter Recovery Key and paste the available
48-digit key into the text file you should have saved in the BitLocker setup
process
- Click
Unlock
Once you complete the steps, you will be able
to access your encrypted files and folders.
Lock folders with a
password
When you no longer need to access your files,
follow these steps to lock the drive:
- Open
File Explorer - Click
This PC from the left panel - In
the “Devices and Drives” section, right-click the BitLocker drive and
select the Eject option
According to the International Institute of Cyber
Security (IICS) data protection experts, when completing these steps, the
folders will remain encrypted with BitLocker. If you want to access these files
again, you only need to do this process again.