Quick Tips for Portable Device Security

Mobile storage devices

Portable storage devices like small external hard disks, USB drives, used for data storage can be easily lost or stolen.

Quick tips for portable device security

§ Keep the drive on you at all times, ideally on your keychain if small enough, or something else you always have with you.

§ Some flash drives come with neck straps or lanyards. Even if you don't wear the drive around your neck, the strap will make it more noticeable and harder to leave behind.

§ Never leave an external drive attached to a computer. Transfer your files, then immediately store the drive. Many drives are lost because their owners transferred a file for a presentation, and then forgot the flash drive at the end of the talk.

§ Don't store older documents on an external drive. Bring only what you need in the immediate future, and archive older files to your desktop or laptop computer.

USB flash drives

USB flash drives (a.k.a. jumpdrive/thumbdrive) are very easy to lose or misplace. If the drive contains confidential data, a missing drive can be a serious data breach concern.

Approved hardware

The Medical IT Security Office has approved the Ironkey D200 and MXI Stealth Key M200, these USB device provide AES hardware encryption that meets FIPS 140–2 Level 3 requirements. Both devices may be used to safely store confidential data. Both products protect against keystroke-logging, brute force password attacks and physical attacks. Data traveling between your computer and these devices is also protected.

Iron key/MXI Stealth Key work with:

§ Windows 7

§ Windows XP SP2 or later

§ Windows Vista

§ Windows 2000

§ Macintosh computers running Mac OS 10.4 or later

§ Linux computers running Linux 2.6 or later.

Both products are available in various storage sizes via the it.med.miami.edu website.

External hard drives

The Medical IT Security Office recommends MXI Stealth HD and McAfee encrypted HD. Both may be used to safely store confidential data.