| USB flash drive is basically an EEPROM that means | | | | the drive. However, that is not the only thing you can |
| "Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only | | | | do. There are some basic USB flash drive security |
| Memory".A USB drive is a plug and play storage | | | | measures available. |
| device. It can be used in place of a CD or a zip drive | | | | UBS thumb drives normally don't require drivers. But |
| disk. It uses flash memory and is very lightweight. It is a | | | | with few old operating systems like Windows 98 and |
| removable drive by computer. Custom USB Flash | | | | Windows 95, you need drivers that are provided by |
| drives does not require rebooting after it's attached, | | | | the manufacturer. Latest OS consider USB drives as |
| does not require batteries or an external power supply, | | | | USB Mass storage devices and have built in support |
| and is not platform dependent. | | | | for these drive. This means that you don't need any |
| Flash drives are great for storing files, but did you | | | | drivers, you just plug in the drive and start using it. |
| know you can run portable applications from flash | | | | The down side to drives that use encryption is that |
| drives as well. A free business suite, OpenOffice | | | | some of them only perform this encryption in software |
| includes a word processing program, a PowerPoint | | | | that results in lower performance on the drive when |
| application, a spreadsheet program and even a | | | | encryption is enabled. Few manufacturers use a |
| database and there is a portable version. Firefox, | | | | hardware based engine capable of encrypting and |
| Opera and Thunderbird all have portable versions of | | | | decrypting files at a higher speed to prevent |
| their web browsers that can be downloaded and run | | | | performance penalties when you access a secure |
| from your flash drive. With the combination of | | | | partition that's using encryption. |
| programs like OpenOffice and Firefox, you have the | | | | USB flash drive security is still in its infancy, since these |
| ability to work, write, create, and surf the web all in the | | | | drives aren't routinely used by people with a need to |
| pocket of your pants | | | | secure their data. As they become more widespread |
| Even the biggest USB flash drive can be smaller than | | | | and the need for security increases, expect flash drive |
| most people's thumbs. Since we carry these devices | | | | security options to increase as well. For now, |
| to numerous locations, there is a fairly good chance | | | | partitioning and encrypting are the major options |
| that we will eventually lose them. If this should happen, | | | | available, though. |
| most of us simply hope there was nothing sensitive on | | | | |