Encrypting a file is one way of making sure that that this file will not be able to be accessed by everyone. For example, the file will only be able to be viewed by people who must enter a password before they can access it. Adobe Acrobat, Word and Excel all have their own encryption mechanism. Additional information about these mechanisms is available in the help function for these programs.
You can also encrypt files with special encryption programmes: 7-Zip and AES Crypt. These programs are available for Windows, Mac and Linux. You can install these programs at home for free. 7-Zip and AES Crypt are also available on the campus workspace computers.