I’m going to show you how to create a secure usb data safe that can be used to store sensitive data. Secure means it is encrypted and will only be encrypted if you need the data that is saved on the stick. This method is also working with other removable media such as zip drives and hard disks.
There are some prerequisites that have to be met: You need of course the software that makes all of this possible – True Crypt. You also need a mobile device and administrators privileges on the computer you intend to run true crypt to decrypt the data on the device – which means that this setup won’t work if you intend to use it on e.g. public computers or computers with no administrators privileges.
Once downloaded and installed you select Tools > Traveler Disk Setup from the menu. Browse to the volume that you want to use for this, make sure you select the right one. Don’t change any of the other settings and click on create to make the device ready for traveler mode. Some True-Crypt files are copied to the mobile device and can be run from there whenever you connect the device to the computer.
We are of course not done yet. You need to create the encrypted part of the device that can be used to store data in it. Select Create Volume to create a new encrypted volume. Create a standard true crypt volume is the default option and we use that as well, click next.
Select File in the next screen, navigate to the mobile device, add a filename that you like (test, container or work are possibilities) and click on open.
We have to select an algorithm, or more than one, to encrypt the data on the device, for more information check out the wikipedia entries on the algorithms. Each is secure so use the default ones if you like.
Specify the size of your container in megabytes, this depends of course on the size of the device and what you intend to do with it. If you only want to save passwords you need some megabytes at most, if you want to save word documents, images and music you might need some hundred.
You have to enter a password in the next dialog. Make sure it is a long password. Mine for instance is longer than 35 chars and I’am very proud that I can remember it, hehe. Select something that you can remember but no one is able to find out by looking into your background.
Leave everything else the way it is. Leave everything the way it is in the next screen and click on format. This creates the encrypted container on the drive. The larger the container the longer it takes of course. Took 19 seconds for my 55 megabytes test usb stick. Click ok and cancel on the next screen.
Congratulations, you have created a secure container on that mobile device. If you take a look in windows explorer you see the filename with the file size you specified.
Using this is now pretty simple. Start True Crypt again, remember the files are on the stick and select a drive letter that you want to assign the container to. Choose select file and mark the file that you have created before on the device. Click mount and enter your password. Et Voila, your device is mounted and ready for use.
You can now use all file operations that are normally associated to drives. Copy files, edit files, read from files, everything is there. Once you are done you select unmount and no one will be able to access the files on the device anymore without mounting it first.
Please be advised that it might be possible to find out if someone used true crypt on a computer by examining the registry. Nevertheless you should be pretty safe if for example you are the only user on that computer and just want to make sure your personal data is safely stored.
Related posts:
Create a secure data safe with True CryptEncrypting USB Devices Data With True Crypt
How to build a data safe
How To Password Protect Data On CDs or DVDs
Howto make sure that your files are safe
Encrypting an USB Drive with True Crypt
Drag and Crypt Ultra
Protect your data from physical access
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