Please help me find a cost-effective way to secure my flash drive

Encryption takes time. It slows data transfer rates. It also requires software be installed on the host PC. I can imagine that it makes data corruption more likely. It is more than I need.

In my case (since my data is not that sensitive) a minor deterrent would be fine. Something that would prevent the average joe from being able to read the data. E.g. the suggestion of translating to Russian would be fine in terms of the security level I am after (the chances are the average joe would simply ignore the russian files) but time consuming.

The combination lock looks interesting, or at least amusing
http://www.crazypc.com/products/usb-lock-53700.html
But I use Buffalo SSD like this
http://www.buffalo-technology.com/products/external-drives/microstation/shd-uhrgs-microstation-portable-ssd/
which has a standard USB-micro USB lead so I can't use the lock above.

If I loose my flash drive...

It has my name all over it melted into the plastic of the case. The chances are that it will be returned to me. But if the finder wants a flash drive then they may keep it and if they are inquisitive they may look at the files.

A) At the moment all I have done is called the disk and the main folder in the root directory "DANGER" and I have used a software to change the disk drive icon and main folder color to red. I forget the name of the software I am using but here are a couple of ways:
http://software.ivertech.com/_ivertechArticle252_HowToChangeFolderIconOrFolderColor.htm
So should someone connect my disk, they will see a red disk icon called DANGER, and they might be less inclined to look at my documents.

I wish
B)There were a way to tamper with the connection, or lead:

1) There were a silicon disk with a non-generic USB lead such that the connector do the disk would require a special lead. I would then purchase enough leads for all of my computers and just carry the silicon disk around. If I lost it and any one found it then they would not be able to connect up to it unless they happened to have the right non-generic lead.

2) Since there is unlikely to be such a silicon disk, then a non-standard USB lead, consisting of a standard USB with lead, to an non standard connector and a small adapter that I could epoxy to the silicon disk, and then the person that found it would just throw the disk away or return it to me.

C) Some simple soft way of making the disk un recognisable. Perhaps changing the 'bios of the disk' (??!) in some way so that most PC's recognise it as printer and not a disk. I am not looking for anything clever, and nothing that a boffin couldn't get around, but just when connecting the disk to a PC the disk would not show up as a disk unless change something in the registry, or did something that the average joe would not think to do.

I know that all the above are not secure, but if you leave your disk somewhere the chances are that the person that finds it is not a computer boffin, or industrial spy, just an average joe that will either want to return it, keep the disk, or take a look at the files just out of interest.

So are there any quick, make-this-disk-inconvenient-to-read, fixes?

So this thread is very helpful. I didn't know how to "cure" it, so I threw the flash drive away.

Try Rohos minidrive. There is paid as well as free version with acceptable limitations and it is more user friendly than tru crypt. I am using it.

Dr Alok Modi MD

STEGANOS is a security software plus a few other things. It also has a "safe" which has a password.However if you forget the password you will be unable to access the card/drive/stick.
It also has a cute way of hiding your files. It allowes you to embed files in a photograph!
Steganos is sometimes included free in some Mags and an older version may be available at one of the many download sites.
Hope this will give you and our readers some ideas!
Alggomas.

Saw one recommendation to use Bitlock on Vista/Win 7 and was going to make same suggestion. Not sure how safe/secure it is yet to hackers.
As for developers supplying encription s/w, would suggest option to use pc hardware specific info as part of encription process (OS,main hdd id, mac address if have internet interface, cpu id, etc.). This of course will add to security but tie your drive/folder to a specific machine (i.e. non portable data).

By using pkzip or rar 'password' option, you can encrypt your document & be secure.

You have to deal with hassle of extract with password, but what's a few seconds.

Franklin Chun, http://Its4Sale.US

Truecrypt is too cumbersome for me.

AxCrypt is a simple to use program but it will not hide the filenames.

My favorite is Safehouse explorer. Works similar to TrueCrypt, create encrypted volumes that works like virtual drives. Very easy to use. Basic version is already powerful and free.

If you want soemthing more secure from the begining I suggest to get one of these SECURE FLASH DRIVES on this link, there is a video intro of it, on home page.

https://www.ironkey.com/demo-enterprise

Having some painful experiences with my thumb-drive infected from the
campus computers.

Found there is a software that will 'immunise' your portable storage
devices from these sorts of infections that exploits the Windows
AutoPlay 'feature'. They work by creating locked/hidden autoplay files
on your thumb drives so that the malware on infected machines can't put their own bad ones there, cos it is (sort of) 'full' already.

I am using the free Panda USB Vaccine, and my thumb drive survived the
recent infected campus PCs ? so far.

You can download it from:
http://www.pandasecurity.com/homeusers/downloads/usbvaccine/

Alternatively you might want to try AutoRun Eater:
http://download.cnet.com/Autorun-Eater/3000-2239_4-10752777.html

A quick note to thank all who took the time to respond with all of the good advice, ideas, and suggestions.

Also many thanks to Lee for his weekly columns.

windows 7 have a bilt in program called bitlocker, with this program u can encript any portable drive pluged in to the system, pasword protecting flash drive is like a pice of cake for windows 7 users

What a long thread. I haven't read every detail, but maybe this is useful. I've been using Truecrypt for some time now and I love it. But some write that it's cumbersome, and here's a way how to make it easy. I've created a batch file that automatically mounts the drive when I double click the icon, no need to use the user interface from truecrypt.

This is what's in the batch file:
e:\truecrypt\truecrypt.exe /q background /v e:\private /l z:

Where e: is the drive letter of the flash drive, where I;ve placed the Truecrypt.exe in the truecrypt folder.

Basically, it works the same way as some other encrypted drives that you buy at a much higher price. I've tried the Lexar and that was terrible, it was harder to use than Truecrypt and it only works when you are logged on as administrator. Which they don't mention before you buy it!!!

Last but not least, I like this one too, but I don't own it: http://www.cleverandeasy.com/Security/secure-usb-flash-drive-personal-pocket-safe.html

What I like most about it as that you don't need to run software to make it work.