Software Based Disk Encryption
USB Drives are handy ways to carry data with you. They can hold a great deal of important files in the palm of your hand or the back of your pocket, allowing you to store important information and open it at will, whenever you are near an open computer.
This same portability is why USB drives are also remarkably easy to lose. Simply sitting with bad posture on a bus or in a coffee shop can cause your USB drive to fall out of your pocket, leaving it susceptible to the public and allowing people the opportunity to view not only your personal files, but possibly important and legally protected documents.
That is why people that have purchased a USB drive often download USB disk encryption software designed specifically to prevent unauthorized users from viewing files and information.
How does it Work?
This pen drive encryption software is designed to add a software program to your USB drive with its own algorithm file that protects your drive by requiring a password in order to view or download the files. By enabling the software file to password protect USB data, your files are significantly harder to hack into. Many of these software programs go beyond simply checking encrypting the USB drive, they also provide a firewall and additional security, such as malware and spyware blockers.
When the software is installed to encrypt USB data, all additional data is automatically kept under the same encryption. So after you have installed the software, there is nothing you need to do beyond remembering your password.
Also, many of the types of software available create encrypted backups, so that your data is automatically saved in case something damages your flash drive – while these backups also remain protected using the same security system.
And finally, you are allowed the flexibility to choose a software program that provides added security by allowing you to enter an password of any length. Some of the hardware encrypted USB drives only allow you to enter between 4 and 8 characters, which make it easier for computer bots to break the algorithm.
Encryption software is also cheaper than buying some of the top of the line hardware based encryption platforms, because it works on almost any USB drive. For many, this is the primary benefit of its use, as sometimes people do not realize they need disk encryption until after they have already owned their USB device for several months and find they are keeping many important files on the hard drive.
Software is slightly more vulnerable to hacking, due to the nature of software. Just as people can create a password protection algorithm, so too can the create the software to defeat it. It is a significantly difficult process, but it can be done.
USB disk encryption software is a quick, easy effective way to ensure that any individual that finds your lost USB drive is unable to view any of the files within. While it still has some vulnerabilities, its versatility and its additional benefits make it a wise choice for the USB drive user on the go.
