External Hard Drive Security

How To Password Protect an External Hard Drive

If you have an external hard drive connected to your laptop, desktop or network, it's critical that you protect the data with a password, encryption, or some other form of physical security. Here are some cool data security products that can do the job.

• Apricom's Aegis Bio is a biometric USB hard drive that sports a fingerprint sensor. Once you have entered your print, it only takes a swipe to gain access to the data on the drive. The Bio comes with Password Bank software, which can also log you into a Windows account or website with just the swipe of a finger. The Bio is especially suited for those who travel with sensitive data, and is available in 80GB, 120GB and 160GB capacities at prices between $159 - $279. The external drive has been built with a 16-point omni-directional shock mounting system for airplane turbulence or bumpy roads. When I first read that, I thought it said "mounting shock system" and assumed that if the fingerprint didn't match, the cracker would get a series of escalating shocks. Not so, but that would be cool, huh?
• Another option is the LaCie 160GB Mobile Hard Drive, which combines hardware encryption and biometric access technology. Also attachable by USB 2.0, the encryption is based on a 24 character passphrase. Up to 5 individuals and 10 fingerprints can access the drive with only a fingerpress. The drive can be customized for read/write or read-only access. The LaCie Drive is available for $169.99.
• If you're worried about someone cutting off your finger, or reconstructing your fingerprint from a wine glass, Korean company IOTEK has another "digital" solution. The ezSECU ez850 is a SATA HDD enclosure, with an LCD Touchscreen that will ask for your PIN number. The manufacturer says that even if the drive is removed from the enclosure, you'll still need the password to access the encrypted data. Clever, eh? The device is 80x130x23 mm and compatible with Windows 2000/XP/Vista, Linux and Mac OS X. This portable drive hooks up to your USB 2.0 port and is sold as "Data Locker" on Amazon.com for about $150.
• Cipher Shield has several different sizes of external drives that come with Cipher Keys. The removable device will encrypt and decrypt in real time when connected to the drive and is available in 40, 64, 128 bit DES or 192 bit TDES. The only drawback to this solution is that you still need to have a password, in case you lose your key.
• If you like the idea of combining encrypted data and an automated backup solution, try the ABS-Secure Encrypted Backup System. The CMS CE-Secure application is added in the factory, so all you need to do is a simple setup. The drive utilizes the rapid SATA technology and includes BounceBack Express data backup and disaster recovery software. With ABS-Secure you can schedule back-up by specific time and date. This unit in the 250GB size will cost about $300, depending on where you shop.
• Finally, if you don't want to make an investment and already have an external hard drive that you would like to encrypt, there are sites such as TrueCrypt and the Free Country that offer free software downloads to secure the data on your hard drive with encryption.

If you travel with a portable hard drive, or you have an external hard drive which might be susceptible to loss or tampering, then backing up and encrypting your most important data should be a priority. Choose a hard drive encryption technology that meets your needs and secure your data today.

Do you have a password-protected or encrypted hard drive? Post a comment and tell us the pros and cons of your solution...