[wellylug] USB stick protection

[Daniel Pittman]

Steve Macdonald <dakmani1 at yahoo.co.nz> writes:

> Just wondering if anyone knows the best way to password protect a USB
> stick, At work I have to use Windows but I also want to be able to use
> it on my Desktop running Ubuntu.
>
> However I want to be able to password protect my data

Cross platform?  Either TrueCrypt or FreeOFTE, which supports LUKS
volumes that are compatible with cryptsetup in any modern Linux
distribution — Ubuntu definitely supports them, and they are even
integrated with the GUI for plug-and-play support.

    http://www.freeotfe.org/

I strongly advocate the later, because I have heard unsettling rumors
that TrueCrypt has either weak cryptographic or implementation related
issue that make it difficult for it to deliver real security, but I am
yet to find any actual proof of this.

I mention this because you need to assess the security risk yourself,
and I don't want to give the inadvertent impression that I am vouching
for the security of this product when I am not entirely comfortable
doing so.


Anyway, the LUKS design is secure and effective, and FreeOFTE will allow
you to access those volumes from Windows.  FreeOFTE is also open source,
which is (in my opinion) a substantial advantage.

Regards,
        Daniel