|
Information Security Tips Series |
||
|
0 Photo |
||
External hard disks have become very popular data storage media to store photos, videos, and backup copy of data due to their large capacity and affordable price. Currently, one of the most common external hard disks in the market is the portable USB hard disk. It provides extra mobility over the data. However, the extra mobility would increase the risk of loss or damage of the hard disks, and even cause leakage of data inside. If they are used for storing personal or sensitive data, users should take extra care of them in order to protect their data against loss or leakage. Physical Protection
In order to protect the portable USB hard disks and prevent the data from being lost or damaged, personal vigilance is always most important. For example, lock the hard disks in a safe place when not used, and do not leave the hard disks unattended or exposed under adverse environments, such as the risk of fire and water. Encryption and
Password Protection
Encryption with password is one of significant measures to reduce the risk of data leakage when the USB hard disks are in motion. Encryption will transform data into a non-human readable form and only the correct password can transform or decrypt the data back to original format. There are two types of encryption methods: hardware and software. Hardware encryption exists in new models of hard disks. When the users store data to hard disks, the disks will automatically be encrypted. Software encryption provides user flexibility to encrypt the important data or folders only in any type of hard disks. Users should beware of some USB hard disks only providing password protection without any encryption. The data inside are not encrypted and it can be retrieved if the hard disks are physically detached from the protection case and plugged into another computers for access. Biometric Access Technology
Fingerprints can be used as other authentication method replacing or in addition to passwords. Some USB hard disks are built with fingerprint sensors and access will be granted with correct fingerprints. Since fingerprints are unique to users, users no longer need to remember their passwords. Besides, if both passwords and fingerprints are used at the same time for two-factor authentication, the security level can also be improved. Self Destruction Feature
Some USB hard disks are equipped with a stronger protection system in addition to encryption. If multiple consecutive incorrect password attempts to access the hard disks are detected, the self-destruction feature would destroy all the data inside together with the encryption key. The original data would be completely erased and non-recoverable. Another common type of external hard disk is Network-Attached Storages (NAS), which are networked storage arrays containing one or more hard disks. One of their advantages over USB hard disk is they can provide sharing of data to multiple users over the network. We will discuss data protection for NAS in the next issue. |
||
| <<Back to Features>> <<Back to Top>> |