USB stick, encrypted, no keypad or software to install, how? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 11, 2020, 03:55:53 pm
content: https://www.ebuyer.com/582747-kingston-datatraveler-32gb-encrypted-usb-3-flash-drive-ebuyer-com-dtvp30-32gbSo i see a claim that you do not have to install software and i cannot see how one enters any code as there is no keypad. Anyone with more information on these than the manufacturer is willing to share?

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2020, 05:00:32 pm
content: I recall you get a pop up dialog when you insert it , where you enter the password. Or it installs as a drive but all you see is a small executable that you have to run and enter the password, then you can see rest of data. Cant remember exactly, i had a 16 GB one some years ago.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 12, 2020, 09:29:12 am
content: Ah right, that's why it's not Linux compatible. I kind of like the idea but wanted to give linux a go again at some stage so I am torn.

author: jc101
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2020, 08:36:34 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on January 12, 2020, 09:29:12 amIf the Kingston part is correctly listed on the eBuyer link, then it can be used on Linux - according to the data sheethttps://www.kingston.com/datasheets/dtvp30_en.pdfI think there will be a Linux mountable image on the small partition, or the software can be downloaded from Kingston.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 12, 2020, 08:55:08 pm
content: Well I'm not using linux any time soon and i only need 4GB to hold the private data like passwords. I've ordered a 256GB for general data that is not sensitive.

author: Whales
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2020, 09:05:53 pm
content: N.B. you can make something equivalent up using other software. Just leave it sitting on the drive. This also lets you transfer your stuff from one drive to another without having to worry about finding the same model+vendor of flash drive again.On Linux I find encfs very convenient, as you only need a folder (not a partition) for storing your encrypted stuff. Looks like there is aWindows port.There's also the traditionalVeracrypt, likely much more popular but it has been years since I used its predecessor.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 12, 2020, 09:10:09 pm
content: I just want something to work. For £19 I'm happy. I'd rather not encrypt everything anyway. been theere done that got the medal for lost data thank to microsoft.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2020, 01:17:42 am
content: Quote from: Simon on January 12, 2020, 09:29:12 amHmm... Found mine and it does have a folder called linux. This is how it looks as you plug the stick in to Windows

author: Whales
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2020, 08:31:53 pm
content: Ooh, can you show what's inside the folder?

author: Lord of nothing
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2020, 05:44:56 pm
content: QuoteYou must be rich.I have there Black Dongle the 32Gb cost a ton.If you want I can check if the run on Debian?

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 07, 2020, 06:26:08 pm
content: um as I said I went for the kingston encrypted 4GB and used a cheap unencrpted 256. I actually use an SSD now in a caddy as the corsair would not work in certain machines so returned it. I am trying to work out what corsair do wake that is any good except for RAM.

author: fragile
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2020, 10:19:37 pm
content: Um, I think the enyption is only as good as the password. And, unless you know how it works, there might be an exploit built in. I made an encrypted drive. First I wrote zeros over the first few GBs, several times. That gets rid of the Windows flash drive U3 STUFF. Then I wrote random data over the whole drive. I used a large key, a long passphrase, and I specified to hash the key for 20 seconds. I added a random salt, and the drive was encrypted.A cracking program can be crafted to guess 99% of all passwords in a few seconds. The NSA uses free cpu cycles on 100,000+ PCs in the Treasury Department, to crack encryption. Normally, it takes about 6 years to guess a good passphrase, at a rate of 100,000 guesses/ second. But each guess on 'my' drive requires 20 seconds, because of the key hashing.That increases the average time required to guess by a factor of 2 million! I think.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 04, 2020, 11:02:11 pm
content: It's good enough to stop the casual crook or curios other person that may pick it up if I loose it.