Encrypted USB Drives

All USB drives used to store work-related and confidential files must be encrypted. Hardware-encrypted USB drives are available at very low cost from the Faculty’s MedStore. The lowest-priced hardware-encrypted USB drive we currently recommend is the Kingston DataTraveler Locker+ model (various capacities). Other larger or even more secure models are available and would be acceptable, as long as they are hardware-encrypted and do not allow use in an unencrypted mode. The University’s Guideline Regarding Security for Personal and Other Confidential Information requires the use of encryption on any personal or other confidential information outside of a secure server environment. Also, if you use only hardware-encrypted USB drives, you never have to worry about what data might have been on the drive if you lose one of them. Destroy your old unencrypted USB drives—don’t just throw them out! Even if you delete all the files on them, they could be recovered quite quickly by someone with the right tools.