[cuttlefish]

I store all my passwords, serial numbers in an Excel folder on my desktop.

How can I protect it so nobody can either open it or ensure it is not hacked into?

I have Vista Firewall and all the usual account control settings set up but I really need yet another password just to stop it being opened.

Will the Firewall be sufficient?

I guess the best way is to store it on a removable flash drive that I leave unconnected when not in use ................?

[jsparky77]

Vista Firewall is a major improvement from the xp firewall but IMHO still not good enough. If you are looking for a good free firewall, Comodo is the best.

There are several good encrypting programs out there. The best is TrueCrypt but many users have found this impossibly hard to use. A much simpler program with decent encryption is called AxCrypt. I use the second one because it is very easy to use.

Storing it on a flash drive and removing is when not in use would obviously be the most secure but you could forget and sometimes it can be slow for the computer to find it and for it safely remove so it could be frustrating.

I think Comodo and AxCrypt would be sufficient unless there is a good hacker desperately looking for the data.

[cuttlefish]

Thanks for that 77!

As I know most of the passwords off by heart I'll probably stick to just leaving the flash drive out of the PC but I'll have a quick look at those couple of programs anyway.

It's funny how Vista Firewall gets a bashing but I have tried Shields Up and a couple of other similar applications on line that "test the firewall" and none of them can get past it!

Wonder what its main problem is?

[jsparky77]

Heres a couple of Firewall tests:
http://www.matousec.com/projects/fir...ge/results.php
http://personal-firewall-software-re...enreviews.com/
http://www.consumersearch.com/www/so...ls/review.html
http://www.firewallleaktester.com/tests.php