How can one encrypt usb sticks

Discussion in 'privacy technology' started by majorpain, Aug 15, 2016.

  1. majorpain

    majorpain Registered Member

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    Hi, i know nothing about encryption but wondered what the best way to encrypt usb thumb drives or can they be bought with strong encryption already? What's best way to encrypt thumb drives
     
  2. kC_

    kC_ Registered Member

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    Bitlocker
     
  3. Palancar

    Palancar Registered Member

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    Part of a supporting answer is to understand how you are needing to use them. Many computer OS languages, multiple computers, do you need a hidden volume or just encrypted volumes, etc...??
     
  4. oliverjia

    oliverjia Registered Member

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    If you only use Windows PC, especially only use one specific version, such as Windows 10 or Windows 7, then BitLocker is the way to go.
    If you have PC, different versions of Windows, Mac, Linux, then VeraCrypt.
     
  5. caspian

    caspian Registered Member

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    Truecrypt. I think it's interesting that anyone would recommend Bitlocker. The truecrypt developers suddenly vanish. Someone who claims to be a developer says that they have abandoned the project because Microsoft no longer supports Windows XP....the *only* Microsoft OS that they trust. All other Microsoft OS's are not to be trusted according to them. And then, amazingly, they tell everyone to switch to Microsoft's Bitlocker before it's too late. Truecrypt is suddenly not safe but Microsoft's encryption is the only option.......even though they don't trust anything Microsoft has done since XP. Does that make any sense? What am I missing here?

    I suspect that in the frustration of not being able to crack TC, someone got to the developers. They can't crack it so the only thing they know to do is to scare people into not using it, suggesting that Microsoft's encryption is the only one that is safe. If I were you I would avoid Bitlocker and go with Truecrypt. My best guess is that it may also be a good idea to avoid Veracrypt for a while, too.
     
  6. kC_

    kC_ Registered Member

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    I would imagine that 80% of people needing encrypted drives are hiding porn from their wives or just to keep some other data private from friends/colleagues & doubtful that most/any individuals are able to crack bit locker.. also I'm not aware that bit locker has been broken by anyoneo_O (People may think there's a backdoor by Microsoft or the police agencies?) So what. They get to see your fetish donkey porn!

    If you had something very serious to hide (state secrets/terrorism etc/leaked docs)then I doubt users would be posting on here or even using a commercially available tool.

    Bit locker is free, easy to use, convenient and secure.
     
  7. deBoetie

    deBoetie Registered Member

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    Hopefully, the consensus here is that we all have to balance risks, and apply a range controls appropriate to our own individual requirements.

    To illustrate, I'm completely comfortable with Bitlocker in a set of contexts, because for some things, I want something which is (or can be) completely seamless, not requiring password entry every time & so on (and also for less technical users); rather obviously, Bitlocker is Windows software, and I think I trust Bitlocker more than Windows (and the applications and drivers that run on it). My biggest concern is remote threats, which Bitlocker does nothing to solve, but which are commonly targeted on the large attack surface of Windows and its applications. The local threat includes the wrench approach, which I'll admit to being completely vulnerable to!

    So, in the context of standard commercial risks and normal personal information protection (including with HDD disposal), Bitlocker makes sense on a Windows box, particularly with TPM.
     
  8. quietman

    quietman Registered Member

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    Would this be a possible solution for you ?

    I was given a few encrypted USB sticks some time ago by a client who had lost the password to one of them ,
    hoping that I would be able to retrieve his data , and when I couldn't he gave them to me , and one was still in the packet .

    I thought it was interesting that if I copied the encryption app , from the original and then pasted it into the root of any other USB stick
    it asked one time only for the license key , which was inside the packaging , and then worked just like the original
    ( but not with the same password , obviously ) .

    So if you needed a bunch of encrypted USB sticks you could buy one of those , and make your own clones .

    The strange part is that when I contacted the makers on a separate matter , and mentioned these details , they were fine with it !
    I don't know much about the strength of encryption other than what's on the packaging ( 256-bit AES)
    but I've been using them happily enough ever since .

    Just a thought :)
     
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2016
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