Usb security software Archives

Encryption software has become increasingly important when it comes to protecting your files and folders. Hack attempts and privacy intrusions mean that it's become easier than ever for complete strangers to access your most personal details stored on your computer.

For businesses it's worse, as the exposure of sensitive or confidential records can result in financial losses as well as heavy fines.

While there are a number of security solutions available, everything from free anti-malware tools for home consumers and cloud anti-virus for business, even simple human error can undermine these attempts to secure data.

Encryption software is already deployed by some large corporations and government agencies to protect data, but it's also available and now accessible for a wider range of users.

Once properly setup, even if your security software fails, thieves/hackers/snoopers would still find it almost impossible to do anything with any encrypted data that might be exposed.

Here then are the best in encryption software tools.

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Although it’s important to protect assets on company computers, it’s also crucial to add protection to any device that stores critical data. For instance, most employees have access to their company emails and other accounts on their smartphones, and they need to be protected.

Folder Lock is a good option when it comes to adding encryption to your mobile devices. The app can protect your personal files, photos, videos, contacts, wallet cards, notes and audio recordings stored in your handset. 

There are some other hidden security features, too. Not only is there encryption, but you can also set a decoy password, hacker deterrents, log unauthorised login attempts, back up all your passwords and get notified on potential brute-force attacks. 

The basic app is free to download, with a pro version available for a one-time fee of $39.95 which opens up more advanced and useful security features.

While free software can be convenient for some, it’s not always as powerful as premium offerings, and AxCrypt is a good bet if you want something reliable. The software has been designed specifically for individuals and small teams within businesses. 

It provides strong security, with files protected by either 128-bit or 256-bit AES encryption, which should thwart any intruders. There are also cloud storage capabilities thrown into the mix – the software will automatically protect files saved on services such as Google Drive and Dropbox.

AxCrypt is fully multilingual, and it can work with languages such as Dutch, French, German, Italian, Korean, Spanish, Swedish, Russian and Portuguese – with more support planned for the future. As well as this, there’s passport management, and you can access your encrypted files through a smartphone app.

There is a free version but it's very limited and perhaps best thought of as a way to trial the software and help become used to the interface and basic functions.

CryptoExpert is Windows desktop software which offers secure data vaults for all your data, ensuring it’s always protected from potential breaches.

It provides more powerful encryption than some of the other tools and apps listed in this article, boasting fast on-the-fly operation. The system can back up a range of different files, including certificates, Word, Excel and PowerPoint files, multimedia files and email databases. 

The best thing about CryptoExpert 8 is that it can secure vaults of unlimited size, and it uses Blowfish, Cast, 3DES and AES-256 encryption algorithms. The latter are highly effective and industry-acclaimed. It’ll work with 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7, 8 and 10.

There is a free 30-day trial available, after which CryptExpert costs $59.95 to buy.

CertainSafe is highly effective cloud-based encryption software which attempts to mitigate all aspects of risk and is compliant with industry regulations.

With the platform, you can store and share documents, private messages, photos, videos and other files without exposing them to third-party sources. You can even collaborate and communicate with colleagues through the system, with all correspondence encrypted.

CertainSafe also adds automated security for business databases and applications, meaning you don’t always have to do things manually. 

There's a 30-day free trial available, after which a subscription costs $12 per month for 100GB and up to 100 free guests.

VeraCrypt is one of the most popular security tools, providing you with enterprise-grade encryption for important data.

The system is quite easy to use, and all it really does is add encrypted passwords to your data and partitions. All you have to do is give the tool a few details about your data, such as volume size, location and specified hashing algorithms – and then the program does its thing.

What’s also nifty about VeraCrypt is that it’s immune to brute-force attacks, so you never have to worry about hackers decrypting your passwords and other sensitive data. The basic version of the software is completely free, as well.

Other Encryption Software to consider

Secure IT 2000 is a file encryption program that also compresses your files. This means that it may take a little longer than some other programs, but it does mean your files are potentially more manageable after. A master password is required to access any files, which can be a little limiting if you'd prefer to have different passwords for different files, not least if you're looking to share some of them with family and/or friends.

Concealer is a file encryption program specifically for Apple Mac computers. Rather than encrypt all files on your harddrive, instead it provides an encrypted area for you to drag files into - which means you need to ensure you delete the original copy so as to avoid having both encrypted and non-encrypted versions on your harddrive. You can also choose your preferred encryption strength as 128 or 256-bit.

Renee File Protector is another piece of file encryption software for Windows, but this one allows you to have different passwords for different files or folders, effectively creating multiple security levels. Alternatively, you can just stick with a master password if required. And if you forget any of your passwords, Renee File Protector can provide prompts to allow you to recover them, which is handy.

SensiGuard doesn't just encrypt your files and folders, it also hides them so that they will remain hidden from unauthorized users, which is a potentially useful feature. Additionally, you can also securely shred files, which means that it's even harder for hackers to locate any sensitive files on your harddrive that you've already encrypted, or deleted. 

USB peripherals and USB Devices are around for more than a decade and nothing much has changed when it comes to the basic protocols. People still use it, reason being, USB storage devices are so minuscule and portable. But at the same time, what we don’t realize is the perils of losing our data. To deal with this, we can do two things.

• You should always back up the data on your USB drive somewhere safe, like a cloud drive.
• You should consider encrypting the USB drive. Especially, if you are carrying sensitive information. Here are some of the best USB encryption software for you to try.

Also Read: 5 Best Encryption Tools For Windows 2016

What is Encryption

If encryption sounds new to you, don’t worry its a fairly simple process. In simple terms, encryption is an act of transforming data so that no unauthorized person can access, read, or modify the data. This transformation is done by complex algorithms which use passwords or key files. Now, if the person on the other side wants to access the data, he needs to provide the password or key file. Encryption is one of the most effective ways to achieve data security. Remember the times you’ve entered a password to see the credit card or bank statement received from your bank via email? Well, that is encryption for you.

Related: How to Send Encrypted Emails in Gmail and Outlook

Do We Really Need Encryption for USB Drives?

Usually, it is not mandatory. But, if you are carrying personal or sensitive information then you should consider encrypting your USB drive. Unlike a regular hard drive, USB drives are smaller in form factor and easy to lose or forget in public places like coffee shops and airports. In the event of any mishap, you don’t have to worry about the data on your USB drive if it is encrypted. Because no one can access the data without proper authorization.

Also Read: 10 Free Portable Anti-Malware Software For Your Pen Drive

Best USB Encryption Software

1. Gilisoft USB Encryption

Gilisoft has been my personal favorite when it comes to encrypting USB Drives. Apart from its metallic UI which is strikingly outlandish, the program does come bundled with effective encryption features. Gilisoft is pretty easy to use and will run automatically once the USB is detected.

Users can choose the size of the encrypted partition and that’s it, the application will automate other processes. By default, Gilisoft uses on-the-fly AES-256 algorithm to encrypt all your data. Moreover, in the event of any emergencies, Gilisoft also has a recovery option to recover your data.

Gillisoft USB Encryption is built for users with little to no knowledge of encryption. However, a hefty price of 50$ is too much to ask for a USB encryption Software. There is a free trial version available but it is restricted to 10 uses only. Moreover, the app is Windows only which makes it highly platform dependent.

Algorithm: AES-256

Pricing: 49.95$

Platform: Windows only.

Download GilliSoft USB Encryption

Related: How to Stop people from Copying data to Pen Drive

2. Kruptos 2 Go-USB Vault

While there is a slew of USB encryption software for Windows, you hardly get any for macOS. Kruptos 2 uses the same AES 256-bit encryption algorithm. You get different variants for Windows, macOS, and Android but it’s not free. You can get the trial version for 30 days and later you have to go premium by paying a one-time fee of 24.95$.

The USB encryption works for USB flash drives, memory cards & external HDD. The most notable feature is that you can drag and drop files to the software instead of browsing and selecting files. As soon as you drop the file in the app, press Encrypt and it’s done. The encryption process is fairly quick and that’s a plus point. You can also choose to have different passwords for different files or one master password for everything.

Kruptos 2 is pretty quick and easy to use but it gets sloppy while dealing with larger files. A 400MB file took 20 seconds to encrypt and 6 seconds to decrypt which is significantly slower compared to VeraCrypt. Also, you cannot encrypt an entire partition or system drive.

Algorithm: AES-256.

Price: 30-day Trial | $24.95

Platform support: Windows, macOS, and Android

Download Kruptos 2

3. USB Safeguard

USB Safeguard is a portable utility that can be used to encrypt your drives. Just like the other USB encryption software, USB Safeguard also uses the AES-256 algorithm to encrypt files, folders, and drives. The UI is fairly minimal with just the right amount of options required to encrypt drives.

The good thing about the app is that it allows you to create virtual containers to safeguard your data. Moreover, USB safeguard automatically locks the device when it is unplugged from the system. And this also works if the user stays inactive for a said period of time. It also supports encryption of HDD hard drives, SSDs, memory cards etc.

Although USB Safeguard is free to use, the free version allows encryption only up to 2 GB. Also, USB Safeguard is windows only.

Algorithm: AES-256

Pricing: Free | 23$ per license

Platform support: Windows only.

Download USB Safeguard

4. VeraCrypt

VeraCrypt is arguably one of the best and most popular open-source encryption tools. Moreover, it is a successor to TrueCrypt which ceased to exist a few years back. VeraCrypt is free and is available for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. Additionally, VeraCrypt supports AES, Twofish, and Serpent encryption ciphers.

If you want to, you can create hidden encrypted volumes within the regular hard drives and USB drives. This option is particularly useful when you want to hide the fact that you are encrypting data. Most of all, VeraCrypt makes it very easy to encrypt and decrypt drives and files using its step by step wizard.

VeraCrypt is the ultimate freeware to encrypt USB drives. However, if you have no experience with encryption software it might be tricky to understand because of the traditional UI and options.

Algorithm: AES-256, Twofish, Serpent, Camellia etc.

Pricing: Free

Platform support: Windows, Mac OS, and Linux

Download VeraCrypt

5. AxCrypt

If you love open source applications, then AxCrypt is something you need to check out. AxCrypt is a free, open source and GNU GPL-licensed encryption tool that aims at being simple, intuitive, and efficient. The best part of this tool is its integration with the Windows shell. Thanks to that one can easily encrypt a USB drive by right-clicking and selecting the option “AxCrypt.”

Another interesting feature of this tool is the timed execution. One can lock down the file for a set period of time and set it to unlock automatically. It also has a built-in mechanism to resist brute force attacks from software. In case, you use your flash drive to transfer data from Desktop to your mobile, encryption might ruin that usage. But, AxCrypt has decryption apps for Android and iOS so that you can open encrypted files on your smartphone as well.

With all that said, it is a file encryption tool and it cannot create encrypted volumes like VeraCrypt. Also, the free program supports AES-128 which is slightly inferior to AES-256 encryption. The mobile applications and MAC encryption software is paid which makes the free variant highly platform dependent.

Algorithm: AES-128

Pricing: Free | 35$ annually

Platform: Windows and Mac. Decryption apps are available for Android and iOS.

Download AxCrypt

6. BitLocker

If you are a dedicated Windows user and don’t want to use or buy another software to encrypt your USB drives then the built-in BitLocker is just the right option. The only caveat is that it comes built-in Windows Pro version onwards. Meaning, you won’t get it if you are on the Home variant.

Using BitLocker you can encrypt entire drives and volumes/partitions with just a click or two. Depending on your settings, BitLocker users 128-bit or 256-bit AES encryption. Since BitLocker is deeply integrated with the Windows operating system, it gives you better speed while encrypting and uses hardware encryption using TPM (Trusted Platform Module). Moreover, BitLocker uses three different types of authentication methods called “Transparent Operation Mode” with uses TPM to automatically decrypt files, User authentication like PIN and Password, and USB Key Mode where you have to insert a USB drive containing a special key to decrypt the encrypted files. The good thing is, you can mix and match all those authentication methods for increased security. For instance, you can use all three authentication methods at the same time.

BitLocker is built into Windows so you don’t have to pay anything extra. However, BitLocker is not available for users using Windows Home version. There is no way to get access to BitLocker on Windows Home variant. The only option you have is to upgrade to Windows Enterprise, Ultimate, Pro, Education, or Server edition and this will cost you minimum 100$.

Algorithms: AES-128, AES-256.

Pricing: Free | 100$ for Windows Home.

Platform support: Windows Only.

Upgrade to BitLocker

7. DiskCryptor

DiskCryptor is yet another popular, free, and open-source drive and volume encryption tool for Windows. What’s good about DiskCryptor is it gives you a choice between AES-256 bit, Serpent and Twofish algorithms to encrypt and decrypt USB drives. Apart from USB drives, DiskCryptor can be used to encrypt almost any external storage device like CD/DVD, external hard drives, etc.

In case you want to, the software can also auto-mount the encrypted partition or drive for quick access to your files and folders. Of course, you need to authenticate yourself before being able to access the data. Though DiskCryptor supports multiple encryption algorithms, it is very fast and the speed is comparable to non-encrypted drives. If you are someone that needs more control over how DiskCryptor works and not afraid of the command prompt then there is an optional Command-line Interface (CLI). To top it all off, Diskcryptor is very small in file size and uses very little system resources.

There is nothing to complain about DiskCryptor apart from that it is only available for Windows.

Algorithm: AES-256, Twofish and Serpent

Price: Free and open-source.

Supported platforms: Windows only.

Download DiskCryptor

8. Rohos Mini Drive

Rohos Mini Drive has a very simple, minimal app with easy to use user interface. Encrypting a USB drive is just a few clicks and good for users with minimum knowledge of computers. Just like every other software on this list, Rohos uses AES-256 bit algorithm and supports on-the-fly encryption.

The good thing about Rohos is that it comes bundled with Rohos Disk Browser utility that allows you to read and write data to the encrypted USB drive on a guest operating system. You can also hide a folder or any other application directly on your USB drive. While encrypting a USB drive, you can create a restoration disk which allows you to recover encrypted data in case of emergencies. For added security from keyloggers, Rohos Mini Drive supports a virtual keyboard. You can use this virtual keyboard when using the USB drive on other systems. Most of all, Roho Mini Drive is also available in a portable variant. With the portable variant, you don’t need to install Rohos it, just open the exe file.

The base version is free but lacks advanced features like autorun, support for encrypting regular hard drives, etc. Also, you can only create two 4GB encrypted containers which mean that you can encrypt a total of 8 GB. To remove these limitations, you need to upgrade to the premium variant priced at 25$.

Algorithm: AES-256

Pricing: Free | 25$

Supported platforms: Windows only.

Download Rohos Mini Drive

9. Cryptainer LE

Cryptainer LE is another USB encryption software. It can encrypt almost any storage device, be it your regular hard or a removable device like USB or CD/DVD. The best thing about Cryptainer LE is that it gives you a choice between using AES-256 bit algorithm or 448-bit Blowfish algorithm to encrypt the USB drive.

Just like VeraCrypt, you can create encrypted containers and use them to quickly read and write data as you wish. These encrypted containers appear just like any other drive in the File Explorer. This gives you the ability to perform all regular activities like a copy, paste, new file/folder creation, modifying metadata, etc. Moreover, Cryptainer LE can also be installed directly on your USB drive so that no matter what system you are on, you will have access to all your encrypted files and folders. If you want to, you can even create self-extracting encrypted files and send them via email. Being a self-extracting container, the recipient doesn’t have to install Cryptainer LE in order to decrypt the file, all they need is the correct password.

The software is completely free with one caveat, each encrypted container you create is limited to 100MB in size. But you can create an unlimited number of containers. For a regular user who wants to encrypt files like photos and documents, this is pretty good. You can remove this limitation by purchasing the pro version.

Pricing: Free | 29.95$ for 2.5 GB containers (Pricing structure)

Platform support: Windows only

Download Cryptainer LE

10. Kakasoft USB Security

All the above software are pretty good at USB data protection, but almost every one of them requires you to set up and configure the software to work properly and optimally. However, if you don’t want to deal with all the hassle of setting up the software and choosing between encryption algorithms then Kakasoft USB Security is for you.

Kakasoft USB Security encrypts and password protects your data with just three clicks. Unlike other software on the list, Kakasoft USB Security installs directly on your thumb drive to encrypt and password protects all your data. Once encrypted, it will automatically prompt for the password whenever you plug-in the USB drive in any other system. It is that simple to use, nothing more nothing less.

The app is simple and intuitive to use and you get almost everything in the free variant. The only thing I can complain about is platform dependency.

Algorithm: AES-256

Price: $22.95. There is a free trial available if you want to try before purchasing the software.

Platform support: Windows only.

Download Kakasoft USB Security

Wrapping it up

In a nutshell, encrypting your drives or at least certain volumes that are very important to you is always recommended. I personally ensure that my pen drive or any other portable devices are encrypted in order to ensure that my personal data does not fall into the wrong hands.

In case you deal with smaller files, AxCrypt or Cryptainer can be a good option. If you are looking for a BitLocker alternative and something which can function cross-platform, VeraCrypt is a good reliable option. For one-off cases, you can try Gillisoft or Kruptos 2.

For any queries or issues, let me know in the comments below and I will get back to you.

Also Read: 4 Ways To Password Protect a Folder in Windows

How to password protect and encrypt the files in our portable Flash Drive, USB Hard Disk and USB SSD? This is to prevent it from falling into the wrong hand in the event you lose it, it may or may not contain personal data, given that there is nothing to lose, why not password and encrypt it? Even if you leave it on your table, it can be stolen by someone and returned to the original place with the information accessed without you knowing it. This is why it is important to password lock and encrypt your portable USB devices.

Alternative 2020 Article ➤ 4 Free Full Hard Disk 256-bit AES Encryption Key For Data, File And Email

Before we begin, it is important to know that there are 2 types of encryption for portable USB Flash Drive / HDD and SSD – hardware encryption and software encryption. The list in this article are portable software based encryption for your USB Flash Drive, if you are using Windows Vista and Windows 7: Enterprise and Ultimate editions, Windows 8 and 8.1: Pro and Enterprise editions, Windows 10: Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions, Windows Server 2008 and later, use BitLocker.

BitLocker is a full disk encryption feature included with Windows Vista and later. It is designed to protect data by providing encryption for entire volumes. By default it uses the AES encryption algorithm in cipher block chaining (CBC) or XTS mode with a 128-bit or 256-bit key. CBC is not used over the whole disk; it is applied to each individual sector.

Hardware Encryption VS. Software Encryption

Software encryption options are available on the market as a cheaper alternative to hardware encryption, but the disadvantages tend to outweigh the benefits. It often requires numerous updates to keep up with hacking techniques, could be quite slow, and may require complex driver and software installations. Software encryption also may not provide the full security that businesses are expecting, to keep sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands. Though software encryption is better than having no encryption at all, it may still be vulnerable to user error, leaving data to fall through the cracks and be susceptible to potential thieves. Since software encryption requires users to follow certain procedures in order to secure the data, users may forget – or choose to ignore certain aspects of the encryption process.

With hardware encryption on secure USB drives, the AES encryption process is handled automatically, built right in with a small chip inside the drive itself. Once original data is encrypted, it becomes undecipherable in the background and is locked away under encrypted storage within the drive. If a thief were to try to gain access to the data without the password, the attempt is by all practical means impossible. But once the user enters their private password, the data is decrypted instantly, and made fully available to the user.

Hardware-Based Encryption:

• Uses a dedicated processor physically located on the encrypted drive
• Processor contains a random number generator to generate an encryption key, which the user’s password will unlock
• Increased performance by off-loading encryption from the host system
• Safeguard keys and critical security parameters within crypto-hardware
• Authentication takes place on the hardware
• Cost-effective in medium and larger application environments, easily scalable
• Encryption is tied to a specific device, so encryption is “always on”
• Does not require any type of driver installation or software installation on host PC
• Protects against the most common attacks, such as cold boot attacks, malicious code, brute force attack

Software-Based Encryption:

• Shares computers resources to encrypt data with other programs on the computer – Only as safe as your computer
• Uses the user’s password as the encryption key that scrambles data
• Can require software updates
• Susceptible to brute force attack, computer tries to limit the number of decryption attempts but hackers can access the computer’s memory and reset the attempt counter
• Cost-effective in small application environments
• Can be implemented on all types of media

Hardware based encryption is always the better option, all the drives in this roundup use the 256-bit AES hardware encryption required to achieve FIPS 140-2 Level 2 certification. SanDisk SecureAccess did not make it to the list because it is a software based encryption. Below are 3 hardware based encryption available worldwide.

↓ 01 – Rohos Mini Drive | Free | Windows

Rohos Mini Drive password-protects a USB flash drive by creating a hidden and encrypted partition on the disk. If you have many private files on the USB drive and want to keep them secret, you can protect them with a password and strong encryption using Rohos Mini Drive. It also offers a portable encryption tool for working with an encrypted partition on any PC.

With portable Rohos Disk Browser you can work with a password-protected partition on any PC without Administrator privileges or installing additional software. It works like Windows Explorer, displaying folders and files. This portable utility is handy when you don’t have access to your computer or laptop.

• You can access your secret volume by entering the correct password.
• On-The-Fly AES 256 bit key length encryption without Administrative privileges.
• File Virtualization – prevents secret data from leaking outside an encrypted disk in temporary file folders, the Registry, the Recent Documents list, etc.
• Secured virtual keyboard – protect an encrypted disk password from a keylogger.

↓ 02 – USB Flash Security | Free (Max 4GB Drive) | Windows

Lost or stolen mobile devices are a growing data security threat, yet there’s no need to panic over sensitive data falling into the wrong hands if it’s protected. That’s where USB Flash Security from Kashu System Design comes in. It’s a free USB security utility for mobile devices.

USB Flash Security’s compact, tabbed interface displays all installed disk drives on your PC, but the software will only install on those drives with USB access. It’s a keep-it-simple layout: there’s a display window, file menus for Operations and Help, Exit and Update buttons, and the Install command bar, but that’s it. We inserted a USB flash drive, and USB Flash Security immediately identified it.

• Software is installed onto USB Flash Drive, works on any computer without “USB Flash Security”.
• Comes with AES encryption.

↓ 03 – Cryptainer LE Mobile | Free | Windows

You will find the mobile feature of Cryptainer very useful. Cryptainer can be installed directly on a USB / removable drive as a “stand alone” install. One can carry this installation of Cryptainer (‘Cryptainer Mobile’) to different machines without having to install Cryptainer on the host machine. Sensitive data can be stored within an encrypted volume file that can only be accessed through Cryptainer, with the correct password.

• Cryptainer LE free encryption software is a comprehensive solution to encrypt any data, any disk, drive, file, folder on Any Windows PC. It has a very Simple, Easy-to-use interface to encrypt and decrypt files on the fly. It allows you total privacy and security without changing the way you work.
• Cryptainer LE creates unlimited number of encrypted drives on your hard disk that appear as Real Drives in Windows. It functions like any other regular drive on your computer.
• Fast Encryption – Cryptainer LE is fast. You will barely notice the difference in speed as compared to a regular “Copy Paste” function.
• Storage Flexibility – Cryptainer LE allows to create encrypted disk drives on removable media. This allows for the flexibility to store and port data on removable media like Zip disks, tape drives, external drives (Flash Disks, USB drives, pen drives). It also allows users to Password Protect Folders, Files on CD ROMs, DVD’s.

↓ 04 – VeraCrypt Portable | Free | Windows

VeraCrypt is a free disk encryption utility allowing you to both encrypt full physical drives and make encrypted logical volumes. VeraCrypt requires admin rights to operate. VeraCrypt is a free disk encryption software based on TrueCrypt 7.1a. It allows secure encryption of full disks as well as virtual volumes that can be mounted on the fly. VeraCrypt has support for various encryption algorithms (AES, Serpent, TwoFish), keyfiles, security tokens, hotkeys, and more.

Encryption Algorithms, VeraCrypt volumes can be encrypted using the following algorithms: AES, Camellia (Mitsubishi Electric and NTT of Japan), Kuznyechik (National Standard of Russian Federation), Serpent, Twofish, AES-Twofish, AES-Twofish-Serpent, Serprent-AES, Serpent-Twofish-AES, Twofish-Serpent.

↓ 05 – LaCie Private-Public | Free | Windows

LaCie Private-Public is the easiest way to protect your important and confidential files. LaCie Private-Public is a standalone application that uses state-of-the-art encryption technology. Sitting on your LaCie USB Key or any other mobile drive, it does’t need to be installed on a computer to run. Whether you’re away from home on a PC or Mac computer, simply plug in your key, launch LaCie Private-Public, and enter your password to gain access to all your files.

Protect your office documents, personal photos, passwords, and other confidential information. With one- click encrypt/decrypt capabilities, LaCie Private-Public is probably the easiest most usable and most secure encryption software you will find. LaCie Private-Public is the perfect companion to any LaCie mobile device or USB key.

↓ 06 – CipherShed | Free | Windows | macOS | Linux

CipherShed is free (as in free-of-charge and free-speech) encryption software for keeping your data secure and private. It started as a fork of the now-discontinued TrueCrypt Project. Learn more about how CipherShed works and the project behind it. CipherShed is cross-platform; It is available for Windows, Mac OS X and GNU/Linux. Although, as packages for OS X and Linux do not exist, yet, users of those platforms will need to compile CipherShed.

↓ 07 – USB Secure | USD30 | Windows

Password protect your USB, SSD & external drives with reliable security for your files & folders on USB Drives. USB Secure lets you password protect your USB drives, SSD drives, external drives and memory cards. Protection is PC independent and does not require installation or administrative rights on the other end. You can unprotect your data by entering the password again. Works in all flavors of Windows.

• Portable Security – Compatible with all portable drives such as thumb drives, memory sticks & external hard-drives.
• Plug and Play – PC independent, does not require installation on the other end, true plug and play protection.
• One Click Protection – With a single click, your files & folders are locked using the latest technology in data security.
• Anti Theft – Multiple layers of security prevent criminals from accessing your receptive files and folders.
• Virtual Drive – View or modify your protected files & folders securely through the virtual drive interface.
• Fast and Easy – Simple & user-friendly interface makes it effortless for anyone to quickly lock their files & folders.
• Compatibility – Works on all versions of Windows, for example Windows 2000/ XP/ Vista / 7 / 8
• Reliability – Patent pending protection methods ensures your data will remain secure under all circumstances.

↓ 08 – EncryptStick | USD13 | Windows | Mac | Linux

Everyone has private information and files on a computer, laptop, flash drive, or some other portable storage device that should have extra security. Whether these files are photos, videos, financial records, banking information or other sensitive data, they are vulnerable to damage, loss and even theft.

Loss and misuse of private information can have serious consequences: embarrassment, expense, even job loss, are all possible outcomes, particularly when important information falls into the wrong hands. EncryptStick can quickly, easily and permanently secure your important information and protect your privacy.

• Runs on Your Computer and Any USB Flash Drive – EncryptStick runs on PC, Mac and Linux computers and all recently made USB flash drives. EncryptStick software installs quickly and easily. When installed on a flash drive, you can use EncryptStick on any PC or Mac anywhere in the world.
• Encrypt & Decrypt Your Private Files – EncryptStick turns your flash drive into a highly secure, private vault where you store the files you want to protect: photos, music, videos, documents, in all file types. You can create “vaults” for encrypting and protecting files on most writable media including Mac, PC and Linux platforms, shared network drives, external hard drives and additional USB flash drives. More media storage options to come. EncryptStick dynamically sizes vaults so that each only takes up the space it needs to store your protected files. Vault contents are only visible to you and remain hidden to others, unless they have your EncryptStick enabled flash drive and your password.
• Strong & Fast Encryption – The EncryptStick encryption engine uses fast and strong AES algorithms. You have the option to encrypt your vaults with 128, 256, or 512-bit AES ciphers. Our encryption is registered and government approved, and is FIPS 140-2 compliant. In an upcoming release, we will offer a 1024-bit encryption option.
• Limited Login Attempts – Stop brute force hacking, ten failed login attempts locks EncryptStick’s login screen for a full minute thereby significantly reducing susceptibility to brute force password attacks.

↓ 09 – USBCrypt | USD50 | Windows

USBCrypt is a powerful software encryption utility for Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, XP that protects your sensitive information from unauthorized access. It locks the bad guys out, and protects your personal, business, and financial data. Use USBCrypt to encrypt your USB and other removable and fixed drives with strong encryption. USBCrypt uses the industry standard AES encryption algorithm to protect your files, the strongest protection available.

• From 1MB to 128TB (which is the current limit of Windows), USBCrypt can encrypt drives of any size. After the initial encryption, the large drives work just as fast as the small ones.
• From Windows XP to Windows 10, both 32- and 64-bit, with the latest service packs and hotfixes, all are supported by USBCrypt.
• USBCrypt uses the industry-standard AES encryption, that makes it impossible for anyone to get to your files without knowing the correct password. There is currently no technology available to anyone in the world to break AES encryption.

↓ 10 – USB Locker | USD20 | Windows

USB Locker is a strong portable drive protection application for all kind of USB drives including flash drives, thumb drives, memory- cards and external drives. USB Locker offers you unparalleled protection across multiple- platforms including Mac, Windows and Linux.

Keeping at a complete mind rest, USB Locker gives your data a robust protection against unauthorized access and keeps your data safe from misuse.

↓ 11 – GiliSoft USB Encryption | USD50 | Windows

The USB flash disks of today are a very efficient and excellent solution files sharing, carrying around or even backup. But USB Flash Drive are designed to be small in terms of size, it is also easy to misplace or worst case, get stolen. GiliSoft USB Encryption enables you to encrypt USB flash drive, all these problem can be handled with ease.

GiliSoft USB Encryption is a comprehensive, easy-to-use solution for USB security that supports encrypting portable storage device (external drive) and can divide external drive into two parts after encryption: the secure area and public area. Converts a regular USB flash drive into a secured one in less than a minute, data on the protected area (Secure area) is encrypted by 256-bit AES on-the-fly encryption.

↓ 12 – USB Security | USD35 | Windows

Kakasoft USB Security well protects your sensitive information in USB drives with the strongest encryption technique. This USB disk security program ensures comprehensive data security of your confidential data on your USB flash drives and protects them from unauthorized access with the adoption of marvelous cryptography and advanced encryption method.

Sensitive and valuable data needs urgent protection. With feature-rich USB Security you are able to secure the external drive as a whole and supports password protecting USB flash drive, HDD hard drive, thumb drive, pen drive, memory stick, memory card and all other portable storage devices in Windows system. You will never need to worry about leakage or breach of any valuable information even you lost the USB disk.

↓ 13 – Kruptos 2 Go [ Discontinued ] | USD20 | Windows

USB drives are the most common way to move data from one computer to another. They are small, portable and often contain highly sensitive data which can be worth millions of dollars. USB drives pose a security risk and can be easily lost, stolen or misplaced.

Kruptos 2 Go is a password protection tool for your USB Drive which protects your privacy and important data from data theft, data loss or leaks. Just drag and drop your files and folders into Kruptos 2 Go’s encrypted ‘Vault’ and they will immediately be password protected which prevents your important data from being modified, read or even accessed without the correct password.