With Windows 7 now being available to download, many users will be exploring and experimenting with its new features. 

One of these that’s been getting a lot of interest online is the built-in ability to encrypt removable storage devices, such as existing USB thumb drives.  While it’s good to see an operating system with integrated security features, it’s worth looking at the details of exactly how secure the method is.

While this software encryption does offer reasonable protection for data – and is certainly better than no encryption at all – it can still leave data vulnerable.  The software-based encryption used in the article is not “always on” as part of the device specifications – so the user has to remember to actively encrypt data.  Unlike the hardware encryption on our Cruzer Enterprise range of secure USB drives.

Second, hardware-based encryption does not require any type of driver or software installation on the host PC.  This keeps the encryption independent of the PC without leaving behind software footprints. 

So if you’re going to remember to encrypt every piece of sensitive information you carry on a pen drive, the Windows 7 approach is fine – but you shouldn’t rely on it for every user in an organisation.