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Thread: Securing USB Hard drive

  1. #1
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    Question Securing USB Hard drive

    Is there software out there that can be used to secure data on an external hard drive? For instance you can always put a password on an individual file, but how about securing a whole hard drive, so that if the external is stolen or lost, they would have to bypass the security.

  2. #2
    AO Ancient: Team Leader
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    If you can format it NTFS then you should be able to encrypt the folders. The encryption is pretty robust and the data will be there for you when you log into the machine with the same login/password.

    The only downside I see to this is that the drive will not be able to be moved from machine to machine because the SSID of the logged in user will be different on each machine....

    Thoughts anyone?
    Don\'t SYN us.... We\'ll SYN you.....
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  3. #3
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    the sandisk thumb drives come with a program that allows for a "secured" partition that you can setup. I dont think it would be all that hard to transfer that program over to any other hard drive. and I wouldnt doubt that there are many programs available made just for this.

    Or just encrypt the files with some thrid party encryption program before you toss them on the drive. and then decrypt them on the other end.

    Or get one of the newer drives that have built in fingerprint recognition.
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  4. #4
    As a workaround I would recommend encrypting the file before you move them to the USB disk. Use PGP or whatever flavor of encryption you like. It will protect the integrity and confidentiality of the files if someone gets your disk and copies them. But it won't help with protecting their availability. The can still be erased.

    Like I said, just workwaround.

  5. #5
    Master-Jedi-Pimps0r & Moderator thehorse13's Avatar
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    Most new thumb drives come with software that will do this. If not, there are tons of third party apps that will. Fortress is one that comes to mind.

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  6. #6
    AO Ancient: Team Leader
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    ER... isn't the OP talking about an _external_ hard drive rather than thumb drives???

    OP?
    Don\'t SYN us.... We\'ll SYN you.....
    \"A nation that draws too broad a difference between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards, and its fighting done by fools.\" - Thucydides

  7. #7
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    Originally posted here by Tiger Shark
    If you can format it NTFS then you should be able to encrypt the folders. The encryption is pretty robust and the data will be there for you when you log into the machine with the same login/password.

    The only downside I see to this is that the drive will not be able to be moved from machine to machine because the SSID of the logged in user will be different on each machine....

    Thoughts anyone?

    AFAIK, the encryption via NTFS will be stripped and the file returned to normal if you mount the drive via alternate OS like Linux or BSD.

    I know we discussed this a while back but might be a nice time for a re-visit...

    I know the Sandisk drives ship with crypto software for on drive storage.

    I have also played with fingerprint authentication devices to encrypt files. The digital persona stuff includes this functionality.

  8. #8
    AO Ancient: Team Leader
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    AFAIK, the encryption via NTFS will be stripped and the file returned to normal if you mount the drive via alternate OS like Linux or BSD.
    Not under EFS. Once encrypted it is lost forever if the person trying to decrypt it is not using the SSID of the original encryptor or the SSID of the Administrator of the machine or domain on/in which the EFS was created.... At least that's how I understand it. You might be able to access the EFS and see the files but their contents are garbage without the keys.
    Don\'t SYN us.... We\'ll SYN you.....
    \"A nation that draws too broad a difference between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards, and its fighting done by fools.\" - Thucydides

  9. #9
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    Originally posted here by Tiger Shark
    Not under EFS. Once encrypted it is lost forever if the person trying to decrypt it is not using the SSID of the original encryptor or the SSID of the Administrator of the machine or domain on/in which the EFS was created.... At least that's how I understand it. You might be able to access the EFS and see the files but their contents are garbage without the keys.
    None of my drives will take an NTFS format....
    Is this something that is vendor or drive specific?

    edit: scratch that, I just did FAT32 1st and ran convert....
    time to test...

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