How to password protect a USB drive
jee pee Posted messages 31872 Registration date Status Moderator Last intervention -
Hello, I looked for it but each time I have to encrypt the files on the drive and I don't want to do that.
I simply want to be able to access my USB drive using a password that I would have chosen beforehand.
It seems simple enough; I can do it successfully on some files, but to put a password on a USB drive ?????
Thanks in advance and sorry if this has already been addressed.
See you later, AL
6 answers
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Hello,
The first solution would be a natively encrypted USB drive. As always, with a regular backup.
I would use encryption software, Veracrypt. It's a solution I've been using for 4 years for my data on the PC I have when I'm away from home, for protection in case of loss or theft. I have a 15GB encrypted volume (which, when opened, becomes a new entry in the explorer with its own drive letter). This volume contains personal files and portable versions of software with their respective data directories (firefox, thunderbird, ...). In retrospect, this software is reliable, no failures.
Veracrypt should be able to encrypt the entire volume of the USB drive. You need the software to open it. If the USB drive is for transferring data between multiple PCs, I wouldn't encrypt the whole drive, but like on my PC, just an encrypted volume (it's just a large file), and on the drive the portable version of the software to use the drive on different PCs without installation.
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Hello jee pee,
The subsidiary question is whether @alost is opposed to encryption by principle, out of fear of losing the encrypted files due to software malfunction, or simply because of the inconvenience (the need to repeatedly enter the password) that I mentioned.
As long as he hasn't clarified this point, without feedback our suggestions remain unheard.
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Hello
For the USB key, the password only protects if the data is encrypted.
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Hello,
To do this, it is advisable to use a password-protected USB flash drive.
edit: the direct link not working, type: usb flash drive password protection
It is strongly recommended to write down and keep the password with your belongings or in a safe place, as you won't find a solution on a forum in case of loss (even the manufacturer doesn’t provide it as far as I know).
Furthermore, the files should be stored in plain text on a medium (internal or external hard drive) since USB drives are not immune to irreversible failure.
I admit I have given up on encryption (zipped files) due to the tedious process (entering the password) for adding new files.
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Where there is password protection, there is encryption. It's the procedure that changes. I only mentioned this solution for its ease of use. Not knowing all the systems, I'm not sure if protection without encryption has ever existed.
Security code USB drives are encrypted.
This clarification is indeed useful as it allows the requester to not choose this system while waiting for a device that meets their needs.
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Hello Brucine,
In your link, there are 2 or 3 at 18 euros, but having tried Sandisk a while ago, if I remember correctly, you have to enter the password with each save, unlike keys with buttons or fingerprint access.
Type security code usb stick, as the direct link doesn't work on CCM.
Also, check for more affordable prices:
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Hello,
It's not that the link doesn't work, but rather that in a certain number of cases like in <2> it is pulled from the browser that generated it (in the case of Opera) or an alternative search engine (often Bing) and that it's not readable for those who don't use them.
It's easy to bypass if the search found a retail site or not, you connect directly, but from your browser, I don't know.
https://www.google.com/search?q=cle+usb+code+de+securite&sca_esv=71b86378781733a7&source=hp&ei=evltacydJISakdUP7bnN8A8&iflsig=AFdpzrgAAAAAaW4HivpJZgNnyXCRZtFI59eLcsaVXGhw&oq=cle+usb+code+de+s%C3%A9curit%C3%A9&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IhpjbGUgdXNiIGNvZGUgZGUgc8OpY3VyaXTDqSoCCAAyBhAAGBYYHjIIEAAYgAQYogQyCBAAGIAEGKIEMgUQABjvBTIIEAAYgAQYogRIpQ1QAFgAcAB4AJABAJgBkwGgAZMBqgEDMC4xuAEByAEA-AEC-AEBmAIBoAKcAZgDAJIHAzAuMaAHswOyBwMwLjG4B5wBwgcDMi0xyAcGgAgA&sclient=gws-wiz -
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Hello
By the way, a password-protected file is certainly also encrypted:
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Hello and thank you all for your responses.
Ideally, what I would like to do is simply copy some files onto a USB stick and restrict access to it with a code.
I don't want to encrypt these files because I regularly use some of them (for updates) and some are in PDF format.
In short, I have already backed up my ID cards, laptops, and passport on a Swiss website with internet, but I think if the internet goes down, I want to be able to access my sensitive files stored on my protected USB stick.
There you go, you know a bit more about what I want to do. Thanks again for your responses and those to come. AL
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Hello,
Perhaps you could deduce from the various responses that all password protection relies on the encryption of the folders and files it archives, including PDFs.
This does not prevent them from being opened; the ease of access depends on the chosen solution.
Since the internet is never down for long, except in the case of unexpected international events, the main concern should be the failure or hacking of the backup cloud.
Personal documents certainly deserve protection, but it is rare for hackers to directly target individual computers, as they prefer to raid databases.
I believe that a "protection" (like a password hidden in the code) that is not based on encryption would not hold up for long against a pack of somewhat experienced criminals.
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We return to the beginning of the discussion.
In any case, there will be a password and as suggested by jee pee Veracrypt answers the question since once this password is provided the files are in clear; the device then behaves like a standard USB key where files can be opened, modified, added...
With a sufficiently long and unpredictable password, security is pretty much unbreakable; it would require aggregating the computing power of a large number of computers and spending considerable time.
That said, if our computer behavior is sound, there is no reason for an individual to be targeted by a cyberattack, and ordinary Windows security on a PC (administrator and user accounts, password, security software...) is sufficient for the average user.
In any case, if that were not the case and a file was not encrypted, nothing and no one can resist the targeted attack of someone who has a minimum of skills.
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Thank you all for your responses, I will try Veracrypt.
See you + AL
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You can download the classic version if you plan to use the USB stick only on your PC, otherwise the portable version to put on the stick: https://veracrypt.io/en/Downloads.html
With VeraCryptFormat.exe you create an encrypted container file on the USB stick.
Then with VeraCrypt-x64.exe you associate the container file with a drive letter.
The container file can have any name, asterix.mp4, and you can create a shortcut to mount or unmount the volume with the following commands. Here the volume will have the letter K:
D:\Sb\VeraCrypt126\VeraCrypt-x64.exe /v D:\videos\asterix.mp4 /l K /a /e /q
D:\Sb\VeraCrypt126\VeraCrypt-x64.exe /q /d K
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