Create encrypted USB pen drive for any computer?

lagagnon · 2012-06-12 20:12:40

My wife requires sensitive data on a USB pen drive that can be read on almost any computer - well at least Linux and Windows machines. Is this even possible?

I'm sure I could work out how to do it for our Linux computers but very unsure whether it would ever be readable under Windows. Any ideas appreciated.

Pres · 2012-06-12 20:17:28

Truecrypt will probably do what you want:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Truecrypt

Edit: Never used it on Windows, however, though it should work fine. You'll need to have Truecrypt installed on the Windows machine to access it, so if we are talking about accessing the files on random public computers then that's off (no idea why anyone would need to do this with sensitive information though).

Last edited by Pres (2012-06-12 20:22:53)

uc50ic4more · 2012-06-12 21:59:35

My wife uses Truecrypt to store data that she takes to school and home with her. We have Windows, Linux and Mac boxen; each with Truecrypt installed, and she uses them all with the "Truecrypted" USB drive flawlessly.

root · 2012-06-12 22:44:34

If by saying 'on almost every computer' you include too computers your wife does not usually has access to it might be a good idea to repartition the usb and create a partition to host the program version(s) of your choice, f.e. Truecrypt for the working platform, and thus have them at hand and ready to install whenever they are needed.
You would just have to update the installer(s) like you update the locally installed versions as far as I see it.

By the way, does your wife consider the limited lifetime of a USB pendrive an issue? If so, maybe an alternative USB drive would be an additional improvement.

uc50ic4more · 2012-06-12 22:58:22

root wrote:

...Truecrypt for the working platform, and thus have them at hand and ready to install whenever they are needed.
You would just have to update the installer(s) like you update the locally installed versions as far as I see it.

There is even a portable TrueCrypt for Windows; although it seems to install or to run "portably" you need administrative access to the machine.

Last edited by uc50ic4more (2012-06-12 22:58:44)

root · 2012-06-12 23:25:59

@uc50ic4more

I presume that portable version would indeed save some hassle on a Windows platform.

JackH79 · 2012-06-12 23:46:05

As far as I'm aware there is nothing freely available that would get you around the 'admin password ' problem when you're on an alien computer.
The only option I'm aware of is hardware encryption. IronKey springs to mind. Not sure this is what you had in mind or need.

uc50ic4more · 2012-06-13 00:38:29

JackH79 wrote:

As far as I'm aware there is nothing freely available that would get you around the 'admin password ' problem when you're on an alien computer.

Well, it isn't pretty; but I suppose one could always use password-protected archives that one could extract and re-compress. Also, perhaps one could even use (a GUI front-end for) GPG and decrypt and re-encrypt files as needed. I don't know if temporary files, swap space, etc. present problems for sensitive data; and these "methods" involve a few extra steps and are potentially prohibitive technologically.

lagagnon · 2012-06-13 19:58:17

Thanks to all for the info, yes an IronKey is probably the best solution but they are very expensive. At least I can now make a decision - thanks to all!

Larry

Arch Linux

#1 2012-06-12 20:12:40

Create encrypted USB pen drive for any computer?

#2 2012-06-12 20:17:28

Re: Create encrypted USB pen drive for any computer?

#3 2012-06-12 21:59:35

Re: Create encrypted USB pen drive for any computer?

#4 2012-06-12 22:44:34

Re: Create encrypted USB pen drive for any computer?

#5 2012-06-12 22:58:22

Re: Create encrypted USB pen drive for any computer?

#6 2012-06-12 23:25:59

Re: Create encrypted USB pen drive for any computer?

#7 2012-06-12 23:46:05

Re: Create encrypted USB pen drive for any computer?

#8 2012-06-13 00:38:29

Re: Create encrypted USB pen drive for any computer?

#9 2012-06-13 19:58:17

Re: Create encrypted USB pen drive for any computer?

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