For most of us who need a USB flash drive, anything will do. The problem is that if you lose the drive, anyone can look at the data on the drive. So if you want that extra measure of security you’ll need a drive that encrypts the data which keeps said data out of the wrong hands. A good choice of drive would be the Kingston Data Traveler Vault – Privacy Edition. I tested the 64GB model which comes with these key features:
- Assembled in the U.S.A
- Waterproof
- 256-bit AES hardware-based encryption
- Enforced complex password
A key feature is the 256-BIT AES hardware-based encryption. What this means that your data is encrypted in such a way that very few people would have the ability to even attempt to crack the security. Running a close second is the fact that the device enforces complex passwords. That’s important because you don’t want a password that is a easy to guess one. Thus it forces you to use a password like “Pa$$w0rd” which is more secure than “password” for example. All of that makes your data very safe. One big thing to note, this drive worked on both my Macs and PCs. That’s a nice touch. It also supports LINUX as well which makes it truly unique.
So, how well did it work? It worked quite well for the most part. I was able to move stuff to and from the drive as quick as any flash drive out there. I did notice that a couple of Windows applications had some problems accessing the drive as the believed that the drive had no free space, but I could access the drive fine via Windows Explorer. I will say that the applications in question were software for the medical industry that likely had “unique” ways of addressing the drive. Thus I believe those of you who use Microsoft Office should have no issue.
The only thing that might deter you from running out to buy one is the fact these drives are kind of pricey. The 64GB model that I tested retails for about $350 CDN. But you can get a 4GB model for $35 CDN and there are plenty of capacities in between the two that should fit your needs and budget. One thing that I will point out is that this is affordable for this type of drive as many of these drives retail for significantly more money.
If you’re looking for a drive that has top notch encryption, the Kingston DataTraveler Vault — Privacy Edition should be on your shopping list. It has a features list that’s hard to beat and your data will be as safe as houses.
Amber Rudd To Planet Earth: “Real People” Don’t Need Encryption
Posted in Commentary with tags Encryption on August 1, 2017 by itnerdFrom the “that was a stupid thing to say” department comes these comments from U.K. home secretary Amber Rudd via Yahoo News:
“Who uses WhatsApp because it is end-to-end encrypted, rather than because it is an incredibly user-friendly and cheap way of staying in touch with friends and family?
“So this is not about asking the companies to break encryption or create so-called ‘back doors’.
“Companies are constantly making trade-offs between security and ‘usability’, and it is here where our experts believe opportunities may lie.
“Real people often prefer ease of use and a multitude of features to perfect, unbreakable security.”
Clearly she has no clue as to what she is talking about. And it’s actually kind of insulting too. But to be fair, Amber Rudd has a reputation for not being the sharpest tool in the shed. Instead she has a reputation of being a tool. At best her comments are naive. At worst they’re dangerous because in short, if you use WhatsApp or a service like it, you’re with the terrorists. Just even thinking about it is a #fail. Now tech giants are pushing back on this hard, and I fully expect Rudd to get an earful on this subject as I cannot see a scenario where this goes over really well.
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