EncryptX Device Defender 3.1

Removable storage devices, such as USB sticks and SD cards, are a cheap and easy way of transporting data, but they’re also easily mislaid or stolen.

EncryptX has addressed this issue with its Device Defender solution, which can be used to automatically encrypt information copied to almost any kind of removable storage medium.

For this type of tool to work it has to be all-encompassing and very easy for users to understand. To this end Device Defender installs into the File System on Windows PC to automatically encrypt/decrypt files saved to a range of storage devices, requiring little more than a simple password the first time a device is used. Virtually any kind of removable storage can be protected, including most NTFS format disks.

We trialled the software using Windows XP and Vista, although it can be used with any version from Windows 2000 onwards. There’s also a server implementation which, similarly, can be used with Windows Server 2000 or later, however there’s no 64-bit support for either desktop or server platforms.

Another prerequisite is Java 6 which has to be in place before the Device Defender setup program will run. This is not a problem for individual users, but a real bind if rolling out to lots of PCs, an issue further compounded by a lack of any tools to help with large-scale deployment.

Once installed Device Defender is fairly unobtrusive, only making itself known when a removable storage device is plugged into the PC. If that device has not been used before, you’re prompted for a password for use by the 256-bit AES encryption technology, plus a hint question and accompanying answer in case you forget the password later on. You’re then asked to choose one of three options ­ to always encrypt any unprotected files found on the device, only encrypt once or encrypt new files as and when written.

The device can then be used normally, with Device Defender automatically encrypting files when they’re saved and, assuming you have provided the correct password, unscrambling them again when they’re opened. A small utility (OpenSecureFiles.exe) is also copied to the device to open encrypted files on PCs without Device Defender. This can be run without being installed and lets you save and encrypt files under manual control.

For larger companies another option is centralised management via the Device Defender Administrator Server (£800 ex Vat plus installation). A Java application running on Apache Tomcat with a MySQL database, the server can be used to track protected storage devices and enforce company password policies, with the option to recover lost user passwords remotely if needed. The Administrator Server can also revoke user rights if no longer trusted and prevent devices being used if lost or stolen with McAfee anti-virus/anti-malware scanning soon to be added as an option.

We found it all very easy to set up and manage with the end result a near foolproof way of protecting data held on removable devices. We say ‘near foolproof’ as CDs/DVDs burnt using third-party applications, such as Nero, can’t be encrypted. Nor is there support for the Windows Live File System available in Vista. Otherwise it’s pretty comprehensive and worth investigating if you’re worried about storage security.

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