provided by: 
Originally published at Internet.comIdentity Finder is a utility program that enables a user to find, and then optionally shred or encrypt personally identifiable information or documents containing such information on their Windows (2000/XP/Vista) PCs. The vendor targets the application to individual/home users and SMBs.
The utility attempts to find multiple types of data generically-i.e., locating all instances of the information based on data patterns-using the vendor's proprietary "AnyFind" technology. This data includes SSNs, credit card numbers, bank account numbers and passwords; and such data can be located regardless of the actual data values of the individual information itself (i.e., it is sufficient to tell the application to look for Social Security Numbers; you needn't tell it which SSNs to look for unless you want to). In addition to this generic searching, the application can also apply "Unique Searching" methods to a PC's data, which allows the user to enter specific information for locating, with the application automatically recognizing common formats of the data in documents that it scans. For example, the user could enter their birth date as "1/1/1980," and the application would be able to locate a document with "January 1, 1980." Multiple types of data are supported in unique searches; including date of birth, driver's license, passport IDs, phone numbers, and more.
The application can then search the user's PC, including E-mails and their attachments, files (including compressed files), the system area (including the registry), and "hidden" Web information, such as autocomplete data stored in browser configurations. Found data is then reported in a GUI display, which includes a list of each document containing sensitive data, the total count of data instances in the document, and the actual sensitive data contained within the document. A preview pane for the found document is also available on the right hand, showing the found data highlighted in the context of the document.
The user can then opt to ignore, shred, or encrypt the data/documents; via either a wizard-based utility, or directly by selecting the desired documents and applying the desired action. The encryption action, in particular, is applied dependent on the type of document located; PDF files are encrypted with native 40 or 128 bit PDF encryption; MS Office files (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint - including 2007 versions) are encrypted with weak or strong Office encryption; compressed files (zip) are encrypted with Portable Zip 2.0 encryption, AES 128 bit, or AES 256 bit encryption; and all other file types can be stored inside an encrypted zip. Scans can additionally be scheduled for regular rechecking.
The vendor notes that a Corporate version of the application, with central management and reporting features, is planned.
Identity Finder is available now for $39.95. A free trial version is also available for download.Author: DPW Staff
Read article at Internet.com site