USB Flash Drives - Encryption

[m-in-m]

Does anyone use, or know of any encryption systems for USB flash drives? Ideally automatically encrypting the contents of the drive and involving as minimal user effort as possible. Doesn't necessarily need to be freeware.

TIA.

[Nini]

I use TrueCrypt, does all that you're looking for and is very much free (like beer free and also that other free).

There's also Steganos Safe One which does on-the-fly encryption but limited to 1Gb unless you're looking to cough up £25.

For plenty more Google is and always will be your bestest BFF but go with TrueCrypt.

[Dr Lobster*]

agreed go with truecrypt. i've used it for years with no problem.

[cdd]

Now I've given thought to this and all encryption mediums make it practically impossible to use the drive on an unprepared, 3rd-party computer, which is after all the whole point of a USB drive. TrueCrypt for instance has to be installed on the system.

Or am I wrong in this assumption? If so I'd be interested to hear.

[Dr Lobster*]

if you encrypt the entire usb drive, then yes... truecrypt needs to be installed on the computer you want to use your memory stick in, but if you create a container file you can put the truecrypt files on your memory stick and then mount the container file without installing truecrypt.

the only problem is that you need administrator rights to run truecrypt if you don't install it (as you need admin rights to start the truecrypt driver).