2 Things You Should Know About USB Keys

USB keys have enjoyed tremendous poplarity since they hit the market. They're an incredibly convenient way to transfer data. Before USB keys (or "memory keys" or "jump drives," if you prefer), we had to choose between the floppy disk and the CD. The former didn't have enough capacity, and was very slow. The latter was slow, and didn't allow direct editing/saving of files.

Today, many USB keys can store more data than a CD, and many people are using them to store much of their critical data. However, there are two things you need to know about these great little devices so that you can protect yourself:

1. They don't last forever. Although USB keys get corrupted less frequently than floppy disks, some do become corrupted. If your USB key holds the only copy of some of your files, you're taking a significant risk. Back up your USB key regularly! The frequency of your backup is up to you; you should make your decision based on how critical your data is, and how often it changes.




• For pure backup purposes, just copy and paste the contents of your USB key to your hard drive on occasion. If you have the ability to copy the contents to a network server instead, that's even better.


• If you want to synchronize your data, you'll need a synchronization tool. This type of tool is useful if you are making some of your changes on your USB key, and some of your changes on your hard drive. (For more information on what file synchronization is, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_synchronization.) There are plenty of free synchronization programs, including one from Microsoft called SyncToy.


2. They're not secure. Well, that's not entirely true; some USB keys have built-in security features. But many or most USB keys in use today have no security features. Because of their diminutive size, they're prone to being lost. If you need to carry sensitive data on a memory key, take action now to avoid problems down the road:




• The non-geek solution: buy a USB key with built-in security. They're easy to find; just search Amazon for "secure usb" and you'll find plenty of results, such as this one.


• The geek's solution: use an encryption technology like TrueCrypt. Consider this tutorial for creating an encrypted volume on your USB key.

I'm not trying to deter you from using USB keys. Just be aware of these two limitations so you can use them safely. Oh, and you'll notice that these problems aren't exactly limited to USB keys either, so take caution no matter what method you use for storing and transporting your data.