So here is a sweet little deal I stumbled upon at USBFever. For $27 you can get a USB hard drive case with biometric fingerprint encryption scanner.
Given how cheap USB hard drives are these days, it’s easy to have them become your backup device of choice. Well, if you’re like me, chances are you are backing up the QuickBooks or MAS90 accounting programs which need a bit more security. It would be bad enough to lose your portable hard drive, so at least protect it with your fingerprint.
The USB hard drive case with biometric encryption supports the IDE / USB 2.5″ hard drive sizes along with plug & play insertion and removal.
The fingerprint biometrics supports all Windows platforms, but not Mac. So if you’re about to drop $15-$20 for an external case, pay just a couple bucks more and get the USB encrypted version.
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There are some fundamental differences between USB copy protection and USB encryption to files on a flash drive. I have seen many companies confuse and muddy the terminology between the two. It’s time to clear things up and explain the difference.
In short; USB copy protection secures a file or set of files so they cannot be copied – thus copy protection. USB encryption scrambles the source files so they cannot be read unless you decrypt them. Take a moment and think about this…there is a BIG difference.
Encryption is the process of scrambling files and data so they cannot be accessed unless a password or key is supplied to reassemble the content and put everything back together. This process is known as decryption.
The fundamental use for USB encryption is to protect files and data in the event the USB stick is lost or stolen.
Where encryption and USB copy protection differ is with “encryption” once you have the password you can
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A recent study was just released that suggests over 9,000 USB drives are left, lost or forgotten at laundry mats. The study was done to show consumers how easy it is to have valuable information fall into the hands of a stranger.
Even on our best day, accidents happen. A similar study was done with PDA and cell phones left in taxi cabs. That number is close to 6,200 per year.
Given this information and each of us knowing we are not perfect, it is wise to put some encryption on your USB drive or password protect the device. Many times the manufacturer will supply a utility free with the device…don’t try and format it off, rather use it!
David Porter, head of security and risk at Detica, explained that there was only so much that experts and computer systems could do to thwart identity fraud. According to Porter, final responsibility rests with the consumer. “Identity fraud attacks succeed largely because of human fallibility; however there are simple steps that people can take to avoid being caught out by fraudsters,” said Porter.
So take a moment and protect yourself from the accidents of everyday life.
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The Mac users usually get the short end of the stick when it comes to software and hardware support for the Mac OS. Most products and applications are specifically design for the Windows user, knowing this is the largest install base of computer owners. However, the tide is shifting. I’m not sure if the popularity of the iPod and iPhone are the sole reason, or if users are just tired of the buggie OS of Windows but Mac computers are popping up everywhere. Friends, work, school – well always school – and even my grandparents house.
Today SanDisk is giving the Mac Fan Boy a bit of love. SanDisk introduces the first secure flash drive which fully supports operation under the Mac OS. The SanDisk Cruizer Enterprise is a USB stick that may be used on either a PC or Mac and has the full ability for data encryption of the drive. With a friendly user interface, the owner can unlock files and data on the stick for using and sharing. Once the drive is locked down or disconnected the encryption is back on.
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Here is the Personal Pocket Safe UFD which is the first of it’s kind that is an “encrypted, epoxy coated, pin-protected smart drive.” Not the first pin-pad USB stick we’ve seen. But with military grade encryption and a mysterious “track-covering” feature to insure no one can trace it’s where-a-bouts after removing from the host.
Lets say you did find the Personal Pocket Safe, well you still need the pin number. This guy features a 10 digit touch-pad pin code using between 4 and 10 digits to lock down your passwords, documents etc. Get the pin number wrong and the Personal Pocket Safe goes in complete lock-down.
“The Personal Pocket Safeâ„¢ is powered by proprietary software embedded within a pin protected pocket safe that features a host of security-rich options that lock in all of the confidential and critical information that powers the lives of today’s consumers.”
Here are some key bullet points from the press release:
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Luigi of I4U had some time yesterday to review the PNY IronKey USB 4GB UFD. In short it’s a great security device but you give up performance for such security.
The PNY IronKey uses AES encryption which is always on and keys generated by the on-board cryptochip uses FIPS 140-2 true compliant random number generation. Since the IronKey uses the cryptochip the keys used to generate access never leave the UFD (and onto computer).
The PNY IronKey has an on board stealth browser via Firefox and is entirely incased with a water tight sealant which sits underneath the rugged, outside enclosure.
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Have you ever wanted to hide files on your computer or flash drive? I could think of several “categories” of data in which I’d like to hide from people around me. Of course I’m talking about valuable data such as passwords, financial records and the priceless contact list for GetUSB.info network of publishers.
Today I found a small utility called HideFlash 1.0 which does just what the name says. Hides your data on a UFD.
The USB security software protects files and folders from others who are trying to view them without permission. What works for me with this package is not only do you have the 128bit encryption working for you, but the Hide Flash software also hides the files and folders it’s protecting. This means when a USB drive is plugged into any computer, the user wouldn’t even know there’s extra data.
The USB security software remains hidden on any computer and invisible to even
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A recent study was just released that suggests over 9,000 USB drives are left, lost or forgotten at laundry mats. The study was done to show consumers how easy it is to have valuable information fall into the hands of a stranger.
Even on our best day, accidents happen. A similar study was done with PDA and cell phones left in taxi cabs. That number is close to 6,200 per year.
Given this information and each of us knowing we are not perfect, it is wise to put some encryption on your USB drive or password protect the device. Many times the manufacturer will supply a utility free with the device…don’t try and format it off, rather use it!
