For years I used to keep files I wanted secure in encrypted ZIP files figuring they were a) hidden, b) secure but these days even explorer search function searches through zip files. I know I could use truecrypt (and do for on some of my systems) but it’s just bit more work - installing it, setting up, keeping different repositories… Zip was a nice easy solution. Oh yes, and it also reduced the size of the files!

So how secure is an encrypted ZIP file? If I rename it to .DAT will it stop explorer searching it for files? If I zip up the .dat in a second .dat (also encrypted - or “scrambled” as pkzip quaintly termed it) will that do the job?