How To Password-protect your folders with free docLock

If you share your PC with friends, family members, co-workers, the occasional IT guy, etc., there may be files and folders you want to keep private. You know, financial data, company secrets, certain sensitive video files--that kind of thing. (Hey, I'm not here to judge.)

Out of the box, Windows doesn't give you the tools you need to password-protect files and folders. For that, you'll need a third-party utility. Most of them cost anywhere from $30-50, but if you're quick with your clicking finger, you can score one absolutely free.

Today only, Giveaway of the Day is giving away docLock for Windows. It regularly sells for $49.95 (though it's currently on sale for $29.95 from developer Large Software).

docLock provides military-grade security for any files and folders you want to protect. You can assign your own password or let the software generate one for you. And locking/unlocking is as simple as dragging and dropping to the docLock window or right-clicking the item and choosing docLock from the context menu.

If you need to share a protected file/folder with someone or take it with you, docLock gives you the option of making it portable--meaning it can be unlocked just by supplying the password (i.e. docLock itself doesn't need to be present).

Like all Giveaway of the Day deals, this one expires at midnight. To take advantage of it, you must download and install the program today. (And, yes, if you reformat your hard drive or migrate to another PC down the road, you'll lose access to the software. It's really intended to be a kind of extended trial.)

Bonus deal: Also today only, you can score a TrendNet TPL-303E2K Powerline Adapter Kit for $49.99 shipped. It uses your existing electrical wires to establish a high-speed Ethernet connection between your router and a PC, game console, Blu-ray player, or whatever. These kits normally sell for at least $100.