Are you a user of USB drives? Then, this post will help you to safeguard your data! You might have heard about data theft, is not it? However, do you know lost USB drives are responsible for most of the cases?
When it comes to computer systems, we take several precautions to safeguard our data storage. Nonetheless, how the same is possible with USB drives?
Why Safeguard Data Of USB Drives?
Unfortunately, USB drives are more susceptible to losses because of their size. Moreover, these drives can also be stolen easily compared to other devices. Hence, what is the solution? Let us discuss now.
How To Secure Pen Drive Data
Take Help Of Encryption:
If you want to avoid unauthorized access to your pen drive data, then you should take the help of data encryption. And then, you can move the same to your USB drive. Even you can restore the stored data with ease, owing to specialized data recovery software.
However, remember, encrypted data will call for a specific decryption key when it comes to data retrieval. Hence, if you lose or forget the decryption key, it would be very tough to read the information.
But, still, encryption can be considered one of the strongest precautions against data theft. However, the installation of data encryption software is a must on all the devices, which will use your USB drive.
Moreover, this software will also help you to decrypt and retrieve information from the drive later.
Purchase A Pen Drive With Inbuilt Encryption:
Nowadays, many USB drives have come with a built-in encryption system. Thus, you can have a sigh of relief that no need for encryption is there from your part. Since it is natural to encrypt data every time you store anything, it is better to purchase a drive with an inbuilt encryption facility.
What Is About Password Protection?
If your pen drive does not have inbuilt an encryption facility and you do not want to go for any software for encryption, password protection may help you.
Hence, when it comes to storing a document on the pen drive, protect it with a password.
Just visit “Files” and then “Info.” At last, go to “Protect Document.”
Now, expand this option. Go for “Encrypt with Password.” It is time for entering your password.
Click on “OK.” Next, start transferring the password-protected data to your pen drive.
When it comes to PDF files, take the help of external software and set a strong (hard to guess) password.
Encrypting Hardware:
You can use a pen drive, which comes with fingerprint scanners. However, some of these devices also feature keypad to encrypt on a real-time basis. Hence, decryption is not possible in case the keypad code or the fingerprint is not matched.
So, if you are in a mood of buying a USB with hardware encryption, opt for a good one. A cheap quality drive can come with a keypad, however, its coding may fail to encrypt the data.
Some More Tips
It is essential to remember your hardware decryption key. Otherwise, you cannot access or retrieve your data.
Do not forget to backup the information, whatever you have stored in your hardware-encrypted USB.
In case you are unable to retrieve your USB data, then it is significant to talk to a data recovery expert. Tampering with the pen drive can result in severe damage to it.