USB Thumbdrive "security"

[Tomer]

I carry both a 256Mb (PNY) and a 1Gb (Lexar Jumpdrive) USB thumb drives around constantly.

The 256Mb one contains some sensitive, confidential information such as account numbers and login details for several dozen sites. Since I am pretty anal when it comes to personal security and privacy the login and passwords are all different, long and impossible for me to remember so I have to carry them around somehow but I worry constantly about the physical loss of one of these drives.

Anyone have any experience with reliable software that would encrypt and at least provide some level of security against casual browsing in the event they are lost, stolen or misplaced?

Thanks

 

[VirtualLarry]

PGPDisk, perhaps? Just don't trust the Lexar "JumpDrive Secure" to protect your data, there was something about that a while ago, and on Slashdot, it may use AES, but it also leaves the password on the drive, and uses XOR somewhere. IOW, it's not as secure as they would have you to believe.

 

[Rogue]

I just got one of these in the 512MB variant free today. Haven't used it too much yet, but seems far more secure than other solutions out there at the moment. At least it's a deterent (gummy bears not withstanding)

 

[jamesbond007]

Why not just encrypt the files yourself into a single RAR file or some other form. Perhaps use PGP encryption?

At any rate, why write down your passwords? Personally, I have 9 that I use, all different, random characters, numbers, and letters I've committed to memory. IMHO, a written password is easily compromisable and useless.

My $0.02

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: Rogue
I just got one of these in the 512MB variant free today. Haven't used it too much yet, but seems far more secure than other solutions out there at the moment. At least it's a deterent (gummy bears not withstanding)

That's what I was going to suggest.. seems like a good option to me

 

[Shenkoa]

DAMN! THATS WACK!

 

[silent tone]

Do you really need a biometric flash drive to keep mommy from finding your pr0n?

 

[corkyg]

The best solution I see, aside from buying new biometric protected flash memory units is to encrypt and password protect the ones you have.

Code

 

[Tomer]

Thanks for the feedback guy!

 

[MrControversial]

I think that the Thumb drives default file system is FAT which is crap for security.

 

[ribbon13]

7-zip everything with password on the stick.

And now, if I ever need your data, i will kill you and cut your finger off! finger print security my ass! haha! j/k

 

[Tomer]

This looks promising:

http://keepass.sourceforge.net/

 

[IEC]

Originally posted by: istallion
Do you really need a biometric flash drive to keep mommy from finding your pr0n?

lol

 

[AncientPC]

I store all my sensitive information with this:
Password Safe

It's small enough that before USB thumbdrives I used to keep the program and password files on a floppy disk.

 

[skadoo323]

If I remember correctly I think some newer thumbdrive models (maybe it was sandisk o pny) now come with some sort of security software installed onto the flash drive, where in order to access any of the files on the drive a correct user defined password must be entered.

 

[madogvt]

Originally posted by: skadoo323
If I remember correctly I think some newer thumbdrive models (maybe it was sandisk o pny) now come with some sort of security software installed onto the flash drive, where in order to access any of the files on the drive a correct user defined password must be entered.

My Sandisk came with Cruzer Lock 2, or something.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Is it that hard to just keep the flash drives with you at all times? Nothing beats a good punch in the face when it comes to security.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Some of the flash drives that are based on the "M-Sys DiskOnKey" design, actually have a tiny little 32-bit ARM CPU inside them! My PNY 512MB is apparently a DOK model, as are some of the SanDisk Cruser models, I think. Anyone have any idea, if CruzerLock 2 can be adapted to work on a PNY model? Is that possible?

 

[monkeyboy311]

Originally posted by: madogvt

Originally posted by: skadoo323
If I remember correctly I think some newer thumbdrive models (maybe it was sandisk o pny) now come with some sort of security software installed onto the flash drive, where in order to access any of the files on the drive a correct user defined password must be entered.

My Sandisk came with Cruzer Lock 2, or something.

Anyone know if its possible to install the Cruzer Lock 2 software on a Non-Sandisk Flash drive? They have the software available for free on their site..?