USB Drive Encryption (11/01/2013)

GiliSoft USB Stick Encryption 4.0

Many of us nowadays take advantage of the speed and flexibility of USB Drives to store, carry and transfer our files. However, we don't always think just how secure they are if they fell into the wrong hands.

One answer is to encrypt the data (or files) on your USB Drive. Today, I learnt how to do this.

Although there is a variety of software available; I chose GiliSoft USB Stick Encryption 4.0 (available for free for the next 14 or so hours).

This software enables you to password protect USB drives, Thumb drives, Memory sticks, Pen drives, Jump drives and Flash drives.

Once you have downloaded and installed the software; you are ready to start encrypting.

Two points to be aware of:

1. The USB Drive you are encrypting has to be 'NTFS' format not 'FAT'. The software provides a 'Fat2NTFS' button (to convert your drive) though be aware converting your drive will wipe it of all data so think this through carefully and either encrypt an empty USB drive or empty your USB drive before you encrypt it. In terms of converting; I found it easier to just right click the USB Drive in My Computer and select 'Format...' from the options, rather than to use the button provided as part of the software; and
2. Always think through how you want to structure your USB drive, how the encryption will operate on your drive and what files you want encrypted (if not all of them). If you don't do this in advance; you will end up spending lots of time moving files around as you gradually work out how you are going to use your drive (I have done this many times!).

'This is a Secure Area'

So once you have addressed these two points; plug in your USB Drive and open up the program.

USB Stick Encryption 4.0 works by placing an encrypted folder on your USB drive. So, first, you need to select your drive in the drop down menu and then, secondly, use the sliding scale to select the size of encrypted folder to be place on your USB drive.

Click 'install' and you will be invited to choose a secure password for your encrypted folder and to enter it twice. Then click 'ok'. The status bar at the bottom of the screen will show you the progress and a confirmation box will pop up once the folder has been installed. Then click 'ok' and the program will open up your USB Drive in My Computer.

If this is your first time using this software:

Double click the 'agent' application saved on your USB Drive. You will then be invited to enter your secure password. Instead; click 'Register' and enter the licence code you were given and then click 'Register' (again) to register the program.

If this is not your first time using this software

Open up your USB Drive in My Computer and double click the 'agent' application.

You will then be invited to enter your secure password. Once successfully entered; a 'Secure Area (Z:)' will open in a new window. The program also places a 'Secure Area (Z:)' drive in My Computer.

Close and you're done

You can save files to this 'Secure Area' like normal, however, the files in that 'Secure Area' will now be encrypted and safe from prying eyes.

Once you have finished with the Drive

Right click the 'Agent' icon in the Taskbar Notification Area, click 'Close Secure Area (Z:\)' and then click 'yes'. Just closing the 'Secure Area' window is not sufficient to re-instate encryption.

Now any file you copy to your USB Drive can be safely encrypted. Of course, there are alternatives to carrying files on a USB:

1. Email the document to yourself and then sign in to your emails to access the document (a bit of a nuisance if you wish to update the document each time you access it this way); and
2. Save the document to your cloud storage and always have access to it wherever there is internet (allows you to update the file each time you access it and can also sync the file to your pc or smartphone).

Also see: What to do when cutting and pasting to a USB Drive goes wrong.

This is my blog, my attempt to document one new thing I have learnt everyday. We learn so much and it is easy to overlook just how much we do learn. Any of the products or websites mentioned in my blog are ones I have found useful. I have no link to these websites (unless otherwise stated) and do not receive any benefit from linking to them. I am not an expert in any of the products I mention so you will have to do your own research and reach your own conclusions.