ArticSoft Free Reader Software

ArticSoft believe that recipients should have the benefit of our full strength protection without having to pay for it.  Just like the post you don't have to pay to receive information in a secure and protected way.

Our Reader products are reduced functionality versions of the full products that can be downloaded and used for FREE.  They enable anyone to verify and unprotect signed and protected information (provided they have the correct unprotection keys) without having to purchase the full product.




What limitations does the Reader software have?

People can only use the Reader software to unprotect and verify information.

The following functionality is not available:

 Protection of information
 Signing of information
 Other main product features - e.g. secure file deletion, Windows Explorer integration, etc.

The Reader is identical to the full product versions in all other aspects. Full keystore functionality is provided that includes the import and export of keys.  An easy upgrade path is available to the full product.


Why doesn't ArticSoft support self-extracting EXE files?

Self-extracting EXE files are files are used by some products to send files to recipients who do not have the full product installed.  ArticSoft does not support them because:

 EXE files are well known virus carriers!

 EXE files are normally stopped by firewalls

 Passwords are used to protect these files, making them extremely vulnerable to hacker, dictionary,
   and brute force attacks.

 Self-extracting EXE files contain the engine that is required to unprotect and verify the files as well as
    the files themselves.  They therefore add a significant overhead (increase in file size) to the files you
    send.

For further information please read How secure are password controlled self-decrypting files?