[Filmo]

Want to get one of those nifty little flash drives you put on a key chain. Seems like some of them offer on-drive encryption, but close inspection reveals that it seems only an option if you use them on window.

For example MacConnections offers the Kingston DataTravler Secure Flash Drive, but when you read the info, it says that the 256bit AES encryption works on Windows, but makes no mention of Mac, which I usually interpret to mean that the function is not available if you use it on a Mac.

Anybody have any suggestions on Flash Drives that offer encryption that works natively on Mac OS X 10.3 or higher?

It also seems like a few of the cheaper drives offer 'password' protection, but I'm suspcious that this is pretty weak protection and not encryption of the actual data.

[Cadaver]

The easiest way to get good Mac-compatible encryption on the flash drives is to put an encrypted read/write disk image on the drive, then mount the disk image with the password, do your stuff, then unmount the disk image. MacOS X's Disk Utility's AES-128 bit encoding should provide more than sufficient protection from all but the most powerful government agencies.

[Filmo]

That sounds like a good tip. Thanks.

[peeb]

Originally Posted by Cadaver 

MacOS X's Disk Utility's AES-128 bit encoding should provide more than sufficient protection from all but the most powerful government agencies.

Yep - the point is to make decryption harder than kidnapping and torturing you for the information.

[Astphadel]

Originally Posted by Cadaver 

The easiest way to get good Mac-compatible encryption on the flash drives is to put an encrypted read/write disk image on the drive, then mount the disk image with the password, do your stuff, then unmount the disk image. MacOS X's Disk Utility's AES-128 bit encoding should provide more than sufficient protection from all but the most powerful government agencies.

If anyone could kinda help a complete newb with this with a step by step.....I would really appreciate it.

Basically how do I: "put an encrypted read/write disk image on the drive, then mount the disk image with the password, do your stuff, then unmount the disk image" ??

Thanks in advance

[liquidsilver6840]

1) Go to Disc Utility
2) Click on New Image
3) Type in the name for the image and where to save it (your USB drive)
4) Select the size and the encyption (AES-128).
5) Click 'Create'
6) A window is going to show the progress for the creation of the image
7) A new window is going to ask for the password. Only if you want to be able to open up the image on your Mac without typing the password, leave 'Remeber password' checked.
8) Ok

Hope this helps

[Astphadel]

I will give this a try tonight, thanks

[Astphadel]

I think I've got it, but now will I be able to open this .dmg in windows?

[brokenjago]

Astphadel: you won't, AFAIK.

[ghporter]

If you need cross-platform encryption, you really need something like PGP or GPG. Both are cross-platform, both offer (the same) extremely robust encryption, and both are easy to use. GPG is free, PGP isn't. Your call.

[Astphadel]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

If you need cross-platform encryption, you really need something like PGP or GPG. Both are cross-platform, both offer (the same) extremely robust encryption, and both are easy to use. GPG is free, PGP isn't. Your call.

Thanks a lot... I briefly googled PGP... but can anyone recommend what would be the best place to start?

[Astphadel]

Wow okay, I wonder if you can help me any further?

I got the GPG dl for Mac, "made the key pair" (I think?), and now im not sure what to do..., how to actually apply this to a file or folder and encrypt it so that it is protected.... I see the site with all the mail program walk throughs and stuff....but I dont see how to apply this to a thumb drive, etc....

Any more help would be incredible, thank you.

[Astphadel]

bump, please--

Thank you in advance