An Easy Guide to Sandisk Usb Encryption

USB encryption has become an important subject in computer security .USB devices have caught the imagination of the people. Be it storing music, video or data, the ease which one can store, transport and retrieve information has lead to an explosion in its use.

USB encryption is all the more important when we speak of data storage. Sensitive information is bound to be stored in USB devices and therefore prone to intrusion and misuse. USB encryption can be achieved in two ways: software and hardware. There are a few important factors which need to be considered when selecting a particular USB encryption method.

USB Encryption Considerations

The first consideration while choosing USB encryption method is the sensitivity of data. Assuming that the data stored in the USB device is highly sensitive and needs highest degree of protection, a hardware USB encryption is recommended. SanDisk, providers of quality secure USB drives has several features which enhance data security.

USB encryption means encrypting the data using an algorithm based on random number encryption key. The more complex the algorithm, better the security. SanDisk is a leader in this field of encryption technology. A state of art, 256-bit AES algorithm is the highest level in USB flash USB encryption. USB encryption keys are generally either 128-bit or 256-bit in length. In hardware USB encryption the algorithm software resides in the device itself. In software encryption the encryption code is resident in the host computer which makes it more vulnerable to attack by intruders.

USB Encryption Attacks

There are different ways in which USB data can be compromised. In brute force attack, an attempt is made to ***** the USB encryption key by brute force. Specially designed software generates random code in rapid succession. The process continues till the USB encryption key is broken. In software USB encryption since the key is stored in the host computer, it is more vulnerable. There are ways to eliminate this form of obtaining USB encryption key but they are much more effective in hardware based USB encryption.

There are other more sophisticated ways to access the USB encryption key. Malicious code can be introduced in the computer from which the software USB encryption key is generated. By disabling the USB encryption key a USB device can be compromised. SanDisk has introduced USB devices which handle this kind of intrusion. Its hardware based solutions ensure that its hardware-based encryption is not affected by malicious code.