Question

how to encrypt an external hard drive

Asked by: PawloA

I have just bought a new 500GB external harddrive that is to have sensitive files on it. In the event it ever gets stolen I would like to encrypt this drive so it can't be viewed by theives and yet the drive can be moved to another computer and accessed by me.

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Asked On
2007-12-15 at 13:37:41ID23025763
Tags

external

,

drive

,

hard

,

encrypt

Topic

Encryption for Network Security

Participating Experts
5
Points
500
Comments
8

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Answers

 

by: sysreq2000Posted on 2007-12-15 at 13:41:03ID: 20478785

 

by: TolomirPosted on 2007-12-15 at 13:48:44ID: 20478807

You are a typical truecrypt candidate:

www.truecrypt.org

Encrypt the entire hard disk so when a thief tried to get access to the device all windows will report is: the drive is unformated, do you want to format the drive to access it?

Truecrypt is a free open source solution, allowing you to encrypt your hard drive with AES. You can unlock it on demand and get a transparent access to the data though all data stays all the time fully encrypted on that drive.

Tolomir

 

by: TolomirPosted on 2007-12-15 at 13:49:35ID: 20478811

Truecrypt:

# creates a virtual encrypted disk within a file and mounts it as a real disk.
# Encrypts an entire hard disk partition or a storage device such as USB flash drive.
# Encryption is automatic, real-time (on-the-fly) and transparent.
# Provides two levels of plausible deniability, in case an adversary forces you to reveal the password:
1) Hidden volume (steganography  more information may be found here).
2) No TrueCrypt volume can be identified (volumes cannot be distinguished from random data).
# Encryption algorithms: AES-256, Serpent, and Twofish. Mode of operation: LRW.

 

by: Reset_Posted on 2007-12-15 at 16:08:24ID: 20479237

I have been using truecrypt for years.. its awsome..

 

by: PawloAPosted on 2007-12-17 at 10:25:13ID: 31415252

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks.

 

by: perfect_tranquilityPosted on 2009-05-18 at 12:53:42ID: 24415837

True Crypt is good except it does not hide the drive letters in My Computer. When the user is prompted : Do you want to format it? I would say yes, please. Then I would use recovery software to recover the files. I havent done that but heard files came just as they were,unencrypted!

I hope I am wrong coz I need something too

 

by: perfect_tranquilityPosted on 2009-05-18 at 12:54:24ID: 24415847

Oh and another way,

I would plant a chip inside my head whenever it is available and store it all there,lol just kidding

 

by: bokeePosted on 2010-03-06 at 19:31:35ID: 27528563

If I have an external USB hard-drive with existing data on it, can I encrypt it using TrueCrypt without loosing the data?

What happens if my main PC dies and I have to buy a new computer (new OS installation) and install TrueCrypt on it.  Will I be able to access the files on the external USB hard-drive that were encrypted by the previous computer that died?

Thanks!

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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