Utility software is a collection of programs, each of which performs a specific housekeeping task to help maintain a computer system.

Encryption Software

Encryption software is used to encode data so that it cannot be understood if intercepted by unauthorized users.

How it works:

1. An algorithm and a key transform the plaintext (testo non crittografato) into ciphertext;
2. The same software and key are needed to decrypt the data.

What can be encrypted:

• Specific files;
• Whole drives;
• Data on portable and removable storage devices.

Defragmentation

Over time, data on a hard drive becomes fragmented – parts of a file are saved to different areas of the disk where there is free space. This slows down the computer, as more disk accesses are needed to read a complete file.

How defragmentation works:

Defragmentation software reorganizes the files by:

• putting all parts of the same file together;
• putting all free space together.

This improves (migliora) the overall performance of the system.