If there’s anything that’s true about flash drives, they can be lost quite easily. You have to ensure they safe whether they’re in your possession or not.
Here are 3 ways to make sure to keep your files safe:
1: Buy an encrypted drive
The first option is to buy a flash drive with encryption that is built-in such as the DataTraveler Locker+ G3. While you can use it on multiple operating systems and computers, you will be uploading sensitive files on a cloud storage like Dropbox, OneDrive etc without encryption. These files themselves will not be encrypted so you’ll have to do something about it and which is why it isn’t recommended by experts.
2: Install specialized software on your drive
Another option involves using EncryptStick. While you have to run it on your main PC, it will still run as a portable program on your flash drive. Of course, you cannot use Windows or File Explorer to open these files. One more thing: the encrypted files only take the amount of space they need.
3: Use free software that isn’t all that portable
VeraCrypt is a free, open source tool that is a favorite used by a number of experts. While there are a number of ways to use this encryption tool, the best way to do so is by creating an encrypted container. There’s more only one limitation: it will only work if you have the administrator account or the password for one.