Securing a USB Memory Stick means thinking about more than just encryption
When you are choosing a solution for protecting USB Memory Sticks via encryption, there are a number of trade-offs to consider. It’s worth thinking about them, because, depending on your situation, they may be less secure than you had hoped, or more difficult to work with than you expected.
You shouldn’t necessarily depend on the encryption software that runs on the device to be secure. If it isn’t built into the hardware design, it can be tampered with. IronKey has a device that covers this off nicely. The downside is a bit of a usability trade-off. In order to thwart brute-force password attacks, the IronKey device has a password failure threshold. Once you pass the limit, it destroys all the data on the device - permanently.
When using a software-based solution such as TrueCrypt, you will need some client-based software installed. Some solutions let you keep the software on the device, which sounds convenient, but the software itself is subject to attack or replacement without your knowledge.
So, it’s a good idea to look at all the solutions on the market, and look at your situation. The highest grade of security is tempting to go for, despite the increased price. But you may have to change your mindset to accept the fact that all your data could be lost if the device clears itself due to exceeding the limit on failed passwords. It really highlights the need to have a regularly scheduled, secure backup strategy any time you are using Mobile Storage Devices.
For a good article on side-by-side comparisons for a few models available today, click HERE.