How to encrypt your TheBat! email archive with Private Disk

Summary

Complexity – Basic

Time needed – Less than 5 minutes

Compatibility issues - None

Why?

Using a mail-client for email retrieval allows you to manage your messages with ease. However, your locally-stored archive is not as secure as the one on the remote server. Therefore your privacy is in your own hands.

TheBat! has a built-in password protection facility that, if enabled, will deny access to the mailbox unless the correct key is written. There are a number of freely available programs that can remove that password. Moreover, an intermediate user can open such an account without appealing to any third-party software, because the internal protection-routine does not encrypt the databases.

One of the other advantages is that your Private Disk can be kept on a flash drive, allowing you to access your emails from any computer where TheBat! is installed, offering you all the mobility you could ask for.

Additionally, you are not limited to storing only emails, you can use your drive for other files types as well.

PrivateDisk can run directly from a storage device, it does not require an installation. So your confidentiality is guaranteed, even if you are using a public terminal. (Usually, in such cases a user's freedom is restricted, because one needs system-administrator rights in order to be able to install a program).

How?

Solve the problem by setting your home directory to one that resides on a Private Disk. Our software will not alter the functionality of your email client; on the contrary, it enhances it with 256-bit AES encryption.

1-2-3easy

Create a new encrypted disk

Its size should be large enough to fit your account. You should allocate some extra space for your future messages and attachments.

Start TheBat!, select your account and change the following option: AccountPropertiesFiles & DirectoriesHome Directory Click the browse button and indicate the new location

Press OK, and you are done

Tips

To avoid error messages, make sure you mount the private disk before launching TheBat!. This is done automatically if you enable "Connect on system start" from the PrivateDisk main window.
If you wish to revert to your old settings, repeat the previous steps, indicating a directory located on a simple partition.
You can use the same TheBat! installation for multiple users, by configuring their accounts to use different home directories.

Q&A

Why not just store the databases on a NTFS partition and set the proper file permissions?

See the " Private Disk vs. NTFS " manual.

What if TheBat! itself is installed onto the protected disk?

This is not a good idea if there is a number of accounts used by other people, because every user will have to know the password to the protected disk – which will compromise your privacy. If you are the only user, then the change will not have any side effects.

How to choose the correct size for my protected disk?

See the " Creating a Private Disk " manual.