USB storage has long been the ruler when it comes to carrying large volumes of data. This is primarily because USB drive is universally compatible, lightweight, and portable, and does not have specific minimum power requirements which means that it can run as seamless with mobile devices as with laptops or desktops. But with the easy portability comes the possibility of easily misplacing or losing tiny thumb drives or other USB storage drives. That’s where USB encryption software can make your life so much easier.
Here, we have enlisted all the USB encryption software that you can use to encrypt your data on a USB drive. You can easily switch between the tools from the link below. The good part is that most of the tools are free to use.
- What is Encryption?
Encryption is a modern-day technique to protect data from unauthorized access. With encryption, you can convert original information (known as plaintext) to something random (known as ciphertext) which can’t be read by anyone except for the authorized users with decryption keys. In cryptography, there are many ways to encrypt a file, folder or a drive, but the most popular one is AES-256 bit encryption.
What is Encryption?
- What Happens if I Encrypt My USB?
When you encrypt a USB stick, the volumes of the external drives are encrypted instead of individual folders. Basically, it will be easier and faster for the software to encrypt and decrypt the data. Apart from that, even if your USB stick is lost, no one can retrieve the data because the whole volume has been encrypted. However, bear in mind, you should always keep a backup of recovery keys in case you forget the passphrase.
What Happens if I Encrypt My USB?
1. VeraCrypt
Picking up where the hugely popular (but now defunct) TrueCrypt left off, VeraCrypt is an extremely feature rich encryption tool. Although it’s primarily geared towards encrypting hard disks, VeraCrypt plays equally nice with USB flash drives and is one of the best USB encryption software on the market.
You can either create an encrypted volume of a specific size on the flash drive, or encrypt all of it. The USB flash drive (and the data on it) thus encrypted can only be accessed by mounting it through VeraCrypt, once you’ve entered in the specified password and/or keyfile.
2. AxCrypt
VeraCrypt can encrypt volumes and external drives, but if you need a simple program to encrypt files and folders on a USB drive then AxCrypt is a great option. Arguably the easiest to use encryption software out there, AxCrypt can be used by just about everyone.
Note: The standard installer of AxCrypt includes some bundled third-party applications. However, these can be easily skipped during installation.
EncryptStick allows you to encrypt USB drives and create virtual vaults or folder protected with a password. It provides one of the strongest mechanisms to encrypt a flash drive or any fixed drive on your Windows, Mac, or Linux machines with inter-operability features. The software supports up to 1024-bit AES encryption which is harder to decipher than 256-bit encryption, which most common software that let you encrypt USB drives or disks offer.
Download
Not only does it have all the bells and whistles that you’d expect from an excellent USB encryption software, Rohos Disk Encryption also packs in some really nice extras that make it even more awesome.
In a nutshell, Rohos Disk Encryption is a lightweight USB encryption solution that also throws in some extremely useful goodies into the mix. When compared to VeraCrypt and DiskCryptor it’s also fairly easier to use. However, it supports just one encryption algorithm, namely AES 256.
Having a pretty funky UI, complete with glossy buttons and a brushed metal finish, Gilisoft USB Stick Encryption is undoubtedly a looker. But good looks are just a part of the picture, and are complimented by simple but effective encryption features.
Gilisoft USB encryption software is ridiculously easy to use. Simply plug in the flash drive, and it is automatically detected. After that, all you have to do is specify the size of secure (or encrypted) area that you want to create on the drive (via the handy slider), along with the encryption password, and the application will take care of the rest.
Price: Paid version costs $59.95 but currently available for $49.95, 10-time maximum usage limit on the trial.
If you often deal with some highly sensitive information, DriveCrypt could be the one-stop solution guaranteeing the security of files by any means. DriveCrypt comes in handy when you want to encrypt USB and fixed drives, and besides that, it even lets you encrypt files selectively.
DriveCrypt has many options to let maximize the security of encrypted USB or local drives. One such feature is the invisible container or partition. You can set up two different passwords for an encrypted vault or drive such that one password gives you the access to files you are comfortable sharing with others while the second one will allow you to access a more secure portion of the vault.
7. Kakasoft USB Security
It’s easy to dismiss Kakasoft USB Security as yet another run-of-the-mill USB encryption software, given its diminutive size and a (fairly) limited feature set. But if you’re looking for exactly that, and don’t care for the other flashy features, it’s hard to go wrong with it.
Platform Availability: Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP.
Want a robust and capable USB encryption software but don’t want to use a third-party software? Not a problem, as BitLocker To Go has you covered.
Price: Free.
Apricorn Aegis Secure Key
While software to encrypt or decrypt USB drives are cheap and easily available, there still lies a possibility of a failure in these software methods. To keep hackers at bay, one must not only constantly upgrade the software but also their knowledge about potential attacks. Besides this, software encryption can be limited to those users who have sufficient knowledge of computers.
Buy Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 30GB: ($128.18)
Q. Do We Really Need Encryption for USB Drives?
If you deal with sensitive data then encryption is a must to securely transfer files through USB drives. It will add an incredibly complex layer of security that can’t be brute-forced by anyone.
If you are looking for a no-frills USB encryption software then VeraCrypt is the best. It’s free, open-source, and encrypts external volumes as well.
Just pick one of the software from the above list and install it on your computer. Now, simply right-click on the USB drive and you would get the option to encrypt the volume.
If you don’t intend to use any third-party software then you can try BitLocker To Go that we have mentioned on point #8. It’s a native Windows tool and works like a charm.
Best Software to Encrypt USB Flash Drives
USB Encryption software help you secure flash drives which you might lose while also giving you the assurity that your personal data will not be misused by someone else. Many of these software packages also allow you to encrypt files or entire local drives, and ones like DriveCrypt and EncryptStick offer military-grade protection for your classified data.
