Utility system software

Encryption software: prevents unauthorised access to files and protect sensitive files/drives from unauthorised users (e.g. in case of theft or hacking).
- Uses an encryption algorithm to “scramble” data.
- Only users with the correct key can decrypt and access the data.
- Often works on-the-fly with the operating system (e.g. BitLocker, FileVault).
Defragmentation utilities: improve hard disk performance by reorganising fragmented data.
- Moves file fragments so each file’s data is stored in adjacent blocks.
- Groups free space together to reduce future fragmentation.
- Makes file access faster and reduces wear-and-tear on the disk.
- Not used with SSDs (Solid State Drives) as they have no moving parts and defragging can shorten their lifespan.
Backup utilities: create copies of data that can be restored in case of data loss.
- Can be either a full or incremental backup.
- Full backup includes all data but takes longer and uses more space. This is typically scheduled (e.g. weekly or monthly).
- Incremental backup includes only files that have changed (i.e. newly created or recently edited) since the last backup. This is quicker and uses less space.
Compression utilities: reduce the size of files, saving storage space and making data transfer more efficient.
- Uses lossless compression algorithms to shrink files without losing data.
- Can compress many files/folders into one archive (e.g. .zip, .rar).
- Often includes password protection for security.
- Also allows decompression or extraction of files for access.

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