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How to encrypt a USB drive without admin rights?
rjbull:
I have a Man Crush on f0dder because of his knowledge of all things secret. 8)
-tinjaw (February 19, 2010, 08:02 AM)
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f0dder, going off topic a bit, how do you rate Dariusz Stanislawek's encryption utilities?
rjbull:
I love Roboform2Go (the portable version).
-superboyac (February 19, 2010, 03:37 PM)
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So do I. I also have the now-freeware version for Palm. But Palm abandoned their users >:( You can't synch a T3 with Vista.
4wd:
Thanks for the suggestions. I should have thought out what I wanted a bit better, though your posts are helping me do that. I occasionally use the USB key at college and the public library. I'm not really expecting industrial-strength security. I want to (1) prevent average users accessing payware programs on my USB key, (2) prevent same accessing certain files, and (3) should I lose the key, or forget and leave it behind, plugged into a machine (mine are all on cables, so they're more obvious than usual), then no-one, not even a sysadmin (who hadn't already sniffed the password) could access any secure area. That seems to mean I'd be better off with a TrueCrypt-type secure container to stop (1) and (3) while still making the programs accessible to me.-rjbull (February 19, 2010, 03:11 PM)
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For (1) and (2), isn't the problem with using a encrypted container that once you have entered the passphrase everything in it will be decrypted and accessible?
If you wander away from the computer, (eg. to look at a reference book), then anyone will be able to access what's on it until you return, (or nick it).
I think the main problem is (3) for which there is a simple solution: go to a hardware shop, buy one of those retractable key chains, attach it to your belt/pants and the flash drive. Job Done! :D
Other than that, if you want true container-like encryption without Admin Rights then, I believe, you're restricted to using a flash drive with always-on hardware encryption.
rjbull:
(1) prevent average users accessing payware programs on my USB key, (2) prevent same accessing certain files, and (3) should I lose the key, or forget and leave it behind,-rjbull (February 19, 2010, 03:11 PM)
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For (1) and (2), isn't the problem with using a encrypted container that once you have entered the passphrase everything in it will be decrypted and accessible?
-4wd (February 19, 2010, 07:02 PM)
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True, but, there has to be some balance between security and accessibility if I'm going to use a USB key at all.
If you wander away from the computer, (eg. to look at a reference book), then anyone will be able to access what's on it until you return, (or nick it).
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True again, but see above: and I'm hoping that if anyone does steal it, they won't be able to access it ever again because they won't know the password. That is, I'm assuming that if they plug it into another PC, the encryption will hold. Also I'm assuming that one can set a timeout, so that if I don't access it for a while, I'd have to re-enter the password. I do that with KeePass, even at home.
I think the main problem is (3) for which there is a simple solution: go to a hardware shop, buy one of those retractable key chains, attach it to your belt/pants and the flash drive. Job Done! :D
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I hadn't thought of that :) Not sure how practical it is, though; it would tie me to the computer as well. Unless you have a chain long enough to reach to the toilet at the other end of the corridor ;)
you're restricted to using a flash drive with always-on hardware encryption.
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If I read him right, f0dder seems to rule those out.
f0dder:
I have a Man Crush on f0dder because of his knowledge of all things secret. 8)
-tinjaw (February 19, 2010, 08:02 AM)
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f0dder, going off topic a bit, how do you rate Dariusz Stanislawek's encryption utilities?-rjbull (February 19, 2010, 04:04 PM)
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Never used them, so can't comment - I pretty much exclusively use TrueCrypt and fSekrit, and the occasional password-protected RAR archive.
Other than that, if you want true container-like encryption without Admin Rights then, I believe, you're restricted to using a flash drive with always-on hardware encryption.
-4wd (February 19, 2010, 07:02 PM)
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If I read him right, f0dder seems to rule those out.-rjbull (February 20, 2010, 11:23 AM)
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Pretty much, yes - there's been too many of those that have been exposed as being pretty much worthless. The IronKey seems to be the exception, though.
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