Encrypting USB drives

[darth vadar]

I'm mildly paranoid about losing my USB sticks



Try using a pocket with a zip or leave them at home.

Either of those two methods will probably do the trick.

 

[ASC1951]

To my mind, upload .xls, edit .xls and download .xls is a pretty good definition of "accept"

And I would agree. Except that GoogleDocs won't let you edit an .xls using Excel, unless you download it first, so I stand by my reservation.

Thanks for the link, BenB. It's much clearer than Truecrypt's own FAQ, so maybe I should look at it again.

Darth, I'm impressed to meet someone who never needs to encrypt anything because he never loses anything. Chapeau!

 

[darth vadar]

Darth, I'm impressed to meet someone who never needs to encrypt anything because he never loses anything. Chapeau!

Thanks for the compliment.

The point about most new technology stuff is that it is just another example of the 'Emperors New Clothes'.

Somebody once gave me some good advice - "Few things matter very much, and most things don't matter at all" And I try and follow that advice.

So, unless you are a spy or involved in some top secret research then all of this encryption nonsense is just another form of bluff to make us all look and sound important.

Let me assure you. None of us are that important.

If you are daft enough to carry valuable information around with you that potentially can be lost, then maybe you deserve all you get.

 

[ASC1951]

The point about most new technology stuff is that it is just another example of the 'Emperors New Clothes'.

Somebody once gave me some good advice - "Few things matter very much, and most things don't matter at all" And I try and follow that advice.

Well, in principle I agree with you and in general that is good advice. That is why I am content with XP and Office 2000, for instance - just because there is something newer available, it doesn't make what you already have work any worse.

If you are daft enough to carry valuable information around with you that potentially can be lost, then maybe you deserve all you get.

You do seem to have a slightly irrational attitude to this, if I may say so. If you ever work outside your home/office, you will very likely have valuable information with you even if it's only on a netbook, so I think the minor inconvenience of bootlog passwords and encryption are a sensible precaution. What do you do, memorise everything? Or never leave the house?

 

[darth vadar]

"you will very likely have valuable information with you"

Valuable to whom exactly ? A rival perhaps? Somehow I doubt it.

Like I said unless you are a spy or someone who does something very, very special of national or international significance, then I doubt very much whether the information you have, or the job that you do, is of much importance (or relevance) to anyone else.

Prior to taking early retirement last March I worked for 35 years, and, surprisingly, I never once felt the urge or desire to take work outside or home or anywhere else for that matter, and I didn't carry a laptop or a blackberry thing to try and make me look wanted or important.

Its all nonsense, and in the scheme of things it doesn't mean a carrot. You might think it does, but it really doesn't.

Like I said. Few things matter very much and most things don't matter at all.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Like I said. Few things matter very much and most things don't matter at all.

Have you seen some fines recently regarding data protection breaches?

 

[benb]

"you will very likely have valuable information with you"

Valuable to whom exactly ? A rival perhaps? Somehow I doubt it.

Like I said unless you are a spy or someone who does something very, very special of national or international significance, then I doubt very much whether the information you have, or the job that you do, is of much importance (or relevance) to anyone else.

Prior to taking early retirement last March I worked for 35 years, and, surprisingly, I never once felt the urge or desire to take work outside or home or anywhere else for that matter, and I didn't carry a laptop or a blackberry thing to try and make me look wanted or important.

Its all nonsense, and in the scheme of things it doesn't mean a carrot. You might think it does, but it really doesn't.

Like I said. Few things matter very much and most things don't matter at all.

Can I have your credit card number please?

 

[2Loose]

It is amazing in this modern world of people that need Blackberries or whatever to 'look important', how much information is valuable to the right people.

An address or an account number would be enough to make life very difficult. Both would be even better! Trust me.
I wouldn't even need a sort code or pin number...

Obviously not losing the information would be best, but just in case you did it best to be covered.

Naivety springs to mind...Clarkson had a similiar view to you...

 

[ColinJ]

Naivety springs to mind...Clarkson had a similiar view to you...

What a cracker! 

 

[darth vadar]

Can I have your credit card number please?

Erm. No.

Have you seen some fines recently regarding data protection breaches?

Yeah, and if you are daft enough to carry sensitive information around with you and then leave it on a train or in a motorway service station, then perhaps you deserve to get fined or have your identity stolen!

An address or an account number would be enough to make life very difficult. Both would be even better! Trust me. I wouldn't even need a sort code or pin number...

So, are you admitting to being an identity theft criminal ? Maybe we should call the Police ?!!

Jeremy Clarkson?

Now I am insulted !!!!!

I don't believe I am naive or stupid. I don't do internet banking and still have a bank book and where possible I always pay with cash. I couldn't tell you the last time I bought something via the internet. and any direct personal data I keep in my head or safely locked away at home - why would I want to carry it around with me on a memory stick?

 

[2Loose]

I thought the JC story was a real eye opener tbh.

But the point I was trying to make is that even small, seemingly innocuous pieces of information about you, such as old statements, plain old bank\utility letters, even letters from siblings etc. can be collected up and used in ways in which the 'owner' doesn't realise. New identities abroad started, loans\mortgages obtained all with a collection of seemingly harmless data collected from someone else.

Don't take the naive comment as an insult, the stuff I have seen over the years achieved with other peoples information is a real eye opener!!
Certainly the memory stick is a red herring - ALL INFORMATION can be used against people if enough is collected, be it from computers or plain old harmless paper. If it is transported about, lock it away (as you do) or make it useless without your presence (encryption etc.)

 

[darth vadar]

I thought the JC story was a real eye opener tbh.

But the point I was trying to make is that even small, seemingly innocuous pieces of information about you, such as old statements, plain old bank\utility letters, even letters from siblings etc. can be collected up and used in ways in which the 'owner' doesn't realise. New identities abroad started, loans\mortgages obtained all with a collection of seemingly harmless data collected from someone else.

Don't take the naive comment as an insult, the stuff I have seen over the years achieved with other peoples information is a real eye opener!!
Certainly the memory stick is a red herring - ALL INFORMATION can be used against people if enough is collected, be it from computers or plain old harmless paper. If it is transported about, lock it away (as you do) or make it useless without your presence (encryption etc.)

Thats more like it.

I agree with all of that and I suppose that is why I have a shredder to lessen the opportunity for ID theft.

The point I think I am trying to make is that new technology has made ID theft so much easier - almost fashionable or acceptable. You become much less of a real person and become a cyber person or number with whom nobody has personal contact.

My point is that everyone seems to buy into the new technology concept, seemingly accepting that ID theft is a price worth paying - unless you are on the receiving end of it of course.

When I first wanted to take out a bank loan many years ago, I had to sit in front of the bank manager! Maybe a bit more old fashioned thinking might help the situation. I certainly don't believe that the financial institutions who rely on computers take ID theft seriously enough when it comes to trying to stop it.

Anyway, enough of my rabbiting on and on.

Time to go out now and face the snow!!