I am looking to find a very SIMPLE...I repeat...[b]SIMPLE[/b] method to password-protect my USB flash drive. I've been given suggestions elsewhere to use Truecrypt, Axcrypt, etc......all of which are far too complicated for me to understand...much less use!
The Outpost Firewall Pro I currently use has a File/Folder Lock feature in it, but for some unknown reason, it does not work, despite the fact I have now 5 times uninstalled the entire program and reinstalled it…all to no avail.
Frankly, at this point I’m thoroughly pissed and I’ve let Agnitum know it.
So this is frankly my course of last resort. Does ANYONE here have any recommendations for a SIMPLE, EASY TO USE method I can employ to password-protect my USB flash drive? All I need is the ability to password-protect. I have no need for all this blasted encryption crap that Truecrypt, Axcrypt, etc incorporate into their programs!
Thank you for your time and any suggestions.
Regards,
Well… bashing very good programs won’t help.
You want a password and don’t want to encrypt… Are you sure you will find a tool for that? Please, post back if you find…
With respect, Tech…if you look at the OPFW program, the File/Folder Lock feature is as simple as can be. All I had to do was add the “H” drive to the File/Folder Lock list, tick the “enable” box, click the button & buttons at the bottom of the interface, and the “H” drive would then be protected. No encryption needed, no other fancy rigamarole, just that simple effort!
In my book, when a product, whether it be Outpost, Avast, or any other security program has specific functions in it (for which I paid for by the way)…I expect those functions to work! I DO NOT expect the company to simply lie low and not address a known problem.
Well, and how does it work? Does it change the access rights? Which is the miracle here?
Does it work only in a computer with the program installed? What happens in other computers if you plug the USB stick?
Once you place a particular USB drive, a folder, or file in the list of items to be protected, (and you can place a password for added protection against unauthorized access), you can only access the drive, file or folder by entering the password.
I do not use the USB flash drive in any other computer but my own. It stays right here! The “miracle” as you so aptly term it…is that all that is required for me to access the drive, folder or files, is to simply enter the password. How much simpler can that be?
The company I refer to is Agnitum…perhaps you’ve heard of it???
It appears that this conversation is deteriorating into nothing more than a tit-for-tat adversarial-type debacle. As such, I think it best to just discontinue any further correspondence. It is obvious nothing of any positive benefit is resulting here.
WinMend Folder Hidden http://www.snapfiles.com/get/wmhidefolder.html is a freeware program I came across after reading your post. I have not used the program myself, so I cannot personally vouch for its ease-of-use or how well it protects your data, but from what I read, it seems to do what you want. However you’ll have to either hide every folder on your USB drive, or create one master folder on the USB (which you then hide), and have all your data within that folder.
Be aware that it’s often true that the easier such programs are to use, the less secure they actually are. If you want something that really protects your data from multiple types of attacks, you may have to use a program that has a steeper learning curve. But until you decide that is necessary, maybe this program will do.
Note that I avoided recommending any similar shareware programs because I haven’t used them myself, so I couldn’t recommend anyone paying money for them. Also user reviews for shareware programs are often faked (to help promote sales). User reviews for freeware may be wrong (because the users don’t know what they’re talking about), but they are less likely to be intentionally false (why bother promoting something that doesn’t make money?).
Thanks Muad’Dib. I really doubt the program will work if the user pick the USB drive and carry it on to another computer without the program installed…
spc3rd your posts about this issue on the Outpost forum are only 2 days old so you have to give it time for Agnitum to find the problem first, as mentioned on the forum by Manny - the file and folder lock did not fail, was something to do with a conflict from another driver, Manny’s and also my file and folder lock work fine and iv not heard anyone else with the issue either.
Out of curiosity are the drives in question that require blocking fat32 ?
I suggest while waiting for Agnitums reply that if security access is such a big issue for you with these drive’s then simply unplug them for the time being.
Removable Drives Are Supported
Files and folders on removable drives such as USB drives hidden by WinMend Folder Hidden are invisible not only in the computer where the hiding was completed, but in any computer.
But I wouldn’t automatically take their word for it, but would test it out myself (if I wanted to use such a program).
My thanks to each of you who’ve replied here. For clarification, I intend to keep the USB flash drive ONLY on my computer. It will NEVER be used on another computer! I have also submitted a support ticket to Agnitum on this issue. Perhaps they can figure out what the problem is.
In addition, I received a recommendaation regarding a particular Corsair flash drive which seems to be ideal for my needs. I have ordered it from the Newegg site and will see if it meets my requirements.
Again, thanks to eveyone for your time and resplies!
Be aware that if your existing computer fails for some reason, you may have to use the USB drive on another machine in order to access those files. So if this is even a possibility, you may want to test things out to make sure that you can access your USB files from another computer (or make sure you have a backup of those files in some other format for such an eventuality).
If this still doesn’t apply to you, then feel free to ignore my suggestion.
I don’t think I have a decent enough of an understanding of those products especially the one which is provided by some Japanese group, and seeing as how I’ve already expended $$$ to purchase that program from Newegg…I can really not afford to spend more of my limited disability income I have to live on.
Just wanted to provide an update to the response I received just now from Agnitum to the support ticket I submitted regarding the problem with the File/Folder Lock feature in Outpost FIrewall Pro. It reads as follows:
Dear Pete,
Thank you for your message.
Sorry, it was our mistake. Unfortunately, at the moment we can provide
you only a workaround with renaming of Avast! driver. This issue is
assigned to the developers, and we hope in future versions it will be
fixed. But, unfortunately, we can’t yet tell when such version will be
released. We will contact you when the problem will be finally fixed.
We are sorry for the inconvenience.
