What is an external hard drive?
An external hard drive is a portable storage device that can be attached to a computer via a USB connection or wirelessly. Unlike the primary internal hard drive inside a computer that stores the operating system and installed programs, an external hard drive is used for storing additional data like documents, photos, videos, backups, etc.
External hard drives come in different storage capacities to hold large amounts of data. They are available in many physical sizes from pocket-sized portable drives to larger desktop drive enclosures. Data transfer speeds vary among drives with USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB-C, Thunderbolt, and other connections.
Why use an external hard drive?
There are several key reasons why people use external hard drives:
– Extra storage space – External hard drives provide expanded storage capacity for large files like high-resolution photos and video, music libraries, game files, system backups, and other data.
– Portability – External drives allow you to easily move data between computers by simply unplugging the drive and connecting it to another computer. Flash drive style external drives are extremely compact and lightweight.
– File backups – Backing up your important files to an external drive protects against data loss if your primary computer crashes or is damaged. You can manually copy files or use backup software.
– Data security – External hard drives provide a good way to physically secure sensitive data by storing files offline detached from network connections. Encrypted drives add an extra layer of protection.
– Convenience – External hard drives are plug and play storage that is very easy to install and use. Just plug it into your computer and you have instant extra storage space.
What is data encryption?
Encryption is the method of encoding data with an algorithm so that only authorized parties can access it. The encrypted data looks like random nonsense to anyone without the decryption key. Encryption protects data in transit and while at rest. It is an important data security technique in the cyber world.
Encrypted external hard drives use encryption algorithms and keys to scramble the data written to the disk. This renders the data inaccessible to others when the drive is not connected and unlocked. The encryption is integrated at the hardware level or through software that automatically encrypts anything saved to the external drive.
Why encrypt an external hard drive?
There are risks to external hard drives that make encryption very important:
– If an external drive is lost or stolen, the data is compromised without encryption. Sensitive files are exposed.
– External drives are more susceptible to physical access by unauthorized users compared to internal computer drives.
– When disposing old external hard drives, the data remains recoverable if not securely erased or destroyed.
– If your computer is hacked when an external drive is connected, files may be accessed and copied. Encryption provides an additional layer of protection.
– Certain laws, regulations, and corporate policies require encryption of sensitive data at rest. Encrypted external storage helps satisfy compliance mandates.
The benefits of encrypting external hard drives include:
– Protects confidential business files, personal information, and other critical data from unauthorized access.
– Can help mitigate data breach risks and prevent compliance violations.
– Provides strong security that is easy to use once configured.
– Gives portable physical storage for carrying sensitive data securely.
How does hard drive encryption work?
Encrypted external hard drives use one of two main encryption methods:
Hardware-based Encryption
Many external hard drive manufacturers offer built-in hardware encryption capabilities. The encryption circuitry is integrated into the hard drive controller chip to provide automatic encryption and decryption of data as it is written and read.
A password or key is required to unlock the drive initially when connected. Often 256-bit AES encryption is used as a secure algorithm. Hardware encryption is convenient and fast with minimal performance impact.
Software-based Encryption
Alternatively, software applications can encrypt data before saving it to an external drive. Popular programs like BitLocker (Windows), FileVault (macOS), VeraCrypt, and Cryptomator provide file and disk encryption features.
The software encrypts data using secure algorithms like AES before passing it to the external drive for storage. Software encryption offers more flexibility than built-in hardware options. The downside is slightly slower performance.
How encryption keys secure external hard drives
Encryption keys are essentially long passwords that are needed to lock and unlock encrypted external hard drives. The encryption key scrambles and unscrambles the data by working in conjunction with the encryption algorithm.
Keys are generated when initializing and configuring an encrypted external drive. A strong key depends on creating a long complex password or passphrases. The key may need to be entered manually when the encrypted drive is plugged in to allow access.
Proper management of encryption keys is crucial. If the key is forgotten or lost, the encrypted data becomes inaccessible permanently. Forgotten password recovery is typically not possible with most secure encryption methods.
Setting up and using encrypted external hard drives
Hardware-Encrypted External Hard Drives
Hardware-encrypted external hard drives are simple to set up with these steps:
1. Connect the new external hard drive to your computer via the USB port. This will activate the encryption initialization process.
2. The encryption software on the drive will prompt you to create a secure password or passphrase. This will become your encryption key.
3. A password hint question may need to be set up as a recovery backup. This can provide password recovery if forgotten.
4. Once initialization completes, the drive will appear as an available storage device. The encryption and decryption processes operate in the background automatically.
5. To access the encrypted drive, simply connect to a computer and enter your password when prompted. The drive then unlocks the encryption and allows file access until ejected or power is cut.
Software-Encrypted Drives
Encrypting an external hard drive using software involves:
1. Download and install the selected encryption software, whether BitLocker, FileVault, VeraCrypt, Cryptomator, etc.
2. Run the encryption software application and select the external drive you want to encrypt.
3. Follow the prompts to create a strong encryption password. This is your encryption key.
4. Allow time for the software to fully encrypt the external hard drive. Encryption can take a while for large drives.
5. Once complete, connect the encrypted drive to access it. You will need to enter your password key to decrypt and mount the drive. It will then appear as a regular storage volume.
6. Remember to dismount the encrypted external drive before disconnecting to maintain security. The software handles decryption automatically.
Maintaining security of encrypted external hard drives
To keep your encrypted external hard drive secure:
– Always keep backups of encryption keys/passwords in a safe place in case they are forgotten. Saving an encrypted drive with no key essentially destroys the data.
– Make sure to properly eject and dismount encrypted drives before disconnecting them from computers. Abrupt power loss can damage data.
– Enable password protection and auto-lock screensaver timeouts on computers to prevent unauthorized access if a secured drive is connected.
– Use encryption software that offers secure keyfiles or multi-factor authentication options for additional security, rather than relying solely on a single password.
– Employ strong passwords and change them periodically. Use long passphrases instead of simple passwords.
– Enable firewalls, active antivirus, and endpoint security on all systems the external drive connects to prevent malware or hacking attacks aimed at obtaining encryption keys.
– Avoid traveling with or shipping encrypted external drives to prevent theft or customs data access. The drives are intended for secure stationary storage once encrypted.
Challenges with encrypted external hard drives
Encrypted external storage has some drawbacks:
– Forgotten passwords are usually unrecoverable. This leads to permanent data loss if encryption keys are lost.
– Encrypted drives require software installation and configuration which can be difficult for some users.
– Encryption introduces performance slowdowns for data access and transfer versus unencrypted drives.
– Booting from an encrypted system drive often requires extra steps like supplying a password at startup. Dual booting is problematic.
– Tampering with encrypted external drives may damage data irrecoverably. Power failures during writes can corrupt data.
– Some encryption programs have vulnerabilities that can allow malicious bypassing of security in highly targeted attacks.
– Setting up encryption appropriately requires technical skill and training to implement correctly without mistakes.
Best practices for using encrypted external hard drives
To leverage encrypted external hard drives most effectively:
– Select hardware-encrypted external drives for easy setup and built-in security. or choose software encryption like BitLocker for finer control.
– Use long randomly generated passwords or passphrases as encryption keys. Store backups securely.
– Enable auto-locking of encrypted drives after period of inactivity. Manually eject before disconnecting.
– Combine encryption with firewalls, endpoint security, and physical security where drives are stored.
– Consider encrypting only portions of the external drive such as partitions or specific sensitive folders rather than the full disk.
– Maintain regular backups of encrypted external drives to allow recovery from damaged or corrupted data. Store backups separately or also encrypted.
– Train employees on encryption, security practices, and the importance of keeping keys safe when using encrypted company drives.
– Reformat and wipe old encrypted external hard drives thoroughly before disposal to completely erase confidential data.
– Use encryption judiciously based on performance impacts and actual security needs rather than arbitrarily encrypting everything.
Conclusion
Encrypted external hard drives provide expanded secure storage and peace of mind for valuable data. Hardware encryption offers seamless integration while software solutions allow detailed configuration. Proper password management and security procedures are critical. With large capacities and portability combined with data encryption, external hard drives will continue playing a key role in storage needs and data protection for both businesses and consumers.