Hello
I'm new using PortableApps.
Can you suggest a method of protectiing a PortableApps USB drive?
I am looking for something free and open source also fast to use and without admin privileges.
Also PortableApps runs slow. Is it because of USB or local PC?
Thanks
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By secure you probably mean "encrypted" with a secure password. You can use veracrypt (which is available on portableapps.com) to make an encrypted volume on a usb drive. Without the password, nobody would have access to the contents.
I'm looking for something fast and simple to password protect an USB drive in case it gets lost.
Something l can put the USB drive in any PC and "unlock" it with a password without having to install anything.
If I use VeraCryt from PortableApps and encrypt the USB I have it installed, won't it encrypt VC as well?
Thank you
The simplist (but most expensive) option would be a usb drive with file encryption and numeric keypad built in, something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Apricorn-Hardware-Encrypted-Validated-ASK3Z-128GB...
I use something like this for work and it functions well. Mine will also wipe the contents with a certain number of failed password attempts. But it is expensive.
Veracrypt is totally secure. It will create an encrypted volume (basically a file) on the drive, and also leaves an executable on the drive itself. The executable is the software that will mount the volume for access but you have to know the password to unlock the file, so without the password, it's just a big random character file.
I'm trying to use VeraCrypt from PortableApps. I tried to create another USB drive with it and copy my portableapps to it and encrypted the pen.
When I use this encrypted drive on another PC it says I have to format it before I use it and that it does not recognize the file system...
What am I doing wrong?
Thanks
https://www.veracrypt.fr/en/Portable Mode.html
Just download the veracrypt files from the official site and due option #2 in the above directions. Then, just put your portableapps directory in the new mounted volume.
@invenio Your link isn't working the correct link is https://www.veracrypt.fr/en/Portable%20Mode.html
@Portable Jesus. You need to do the following steps:
(1) Format your USB drive.
(2) Copy portable Veracrypt to the drive (note that his will not be, in fact must not be, encrypted).
(3) Launch Veracrypt and click the Create Volume button - the Veracrypt Volume Creation Wizard dialogue will open up.
(4) Select the option Create an encrypted file container Then click the Next > button.
(5) For the Volume Type select Standard Veracrypt volume Then click the Next > button.
(6) In the Volume Location dialogue supply the full path and the file name of the volume you want to create. If you want you can (pre-)create a file on the USB drive, give it any name you want and use that for the volume name. So, for example, you could create a file called test.doc (or use any extension you wish e.g. test.flac) and then in this dialogue just drill to that file, select it, and when Veracrypt creates the encrypted volume it will just overwrite that file with a new encrypted volume of the size you will select later in the setup dialogues, though retaining the filename you created on your USB drive. (For your use you would be best to tick the Never save history box.) Then click the Next > button.
(7) Now select the Encryption Algorithm you want. (AES is the default and is okay for your use.) Then click the Next >? button.
(8) Enter the size you want the volume to be. The size at minimum will have to be the size that will accommodate all your PortableApps and also allowing free space for any data files you PortableApps will create -- be very generous with size is the best advice. Then click the Next > button.
(9) Enter a password that will protect the volume you are about to create. Then click the Next> button.
(10) In Volume Format chose the format that wish your volume to use (note this need not be the same format as the format you used to format the USB drive). I use NTFS it works fine. Once you have selected the format wiggle the mouse pointer within the dialogue window so that 'randomness' can be collected for encrypting the volume. Once enough 'randomness' has been collected click the Format button. The file that you specified will be created of the size you wanted and the file will also be encrypted.
(11) When the Volume Created dialogue shows up just click the Exit button. This will close the create volume dialogue and you will back at the main dialogue for using Veracrypt.
(12) In the main dialogue highlight any one of the drives shown - this will be used to mount your encrypted Veracrypt volume. Once you have highlighted the drive then click on the Select File... button and browse to the file (volume) you just created on your USB drive, select that, click the Open button.
(13) Now you are back at the main dialogue. Click on the Mount button and then supply your password for the volume.
(14) The Veracrypt volume will then mounted under the drive label you selected at step 12 above. You can now populate the volume with all the files you want to put there. (Note that you can't store Veracrypt in the volume - it has to be available to you somewhere on USB drive but outside of the Veracrypt volume.
(15) Do whatever work you want to do with your PortableApps and any other files you have inside the encrypted volume. Once you are finished working with the encrypted volume close down any applications that you were running from inside the volume (also close any data files you were using that are contained in the volume) then click the Dismount button and the encrypted volume will be dismounted from the drive label that you mounted it as.
(12) Click the Exit button to exit Veracrypt and then you can follow your normal routine to unplug the USB drive.
Lastly, you do actually need administrator privileges to use Veracrypt in portable mode - see Veracypt documentation (as linked to above) to see why this is so.
Use Portable Apps on both Flash Drive and HDD/SSD.
@ Abraxian
Thank you for your answer/guide Sir.
What I did was:
- Installed VC from PortableApps on USB 1 (where I have the my PortabelApps)
- Used VC from USB1 to create VC volume in USB2
- Copied USB1 to USB2
I'll follow your guide and see how ti goes and report back,
Thanks
I followed your guide and it worked!
Thank you very much for your time Sir.
I think your post should be "sticky" here in the forum!
However VC is a bit slow mounting/unmounting the USB and I need something fast (for work).
Something like insert the USB/SD card>Introduce password...and Bammm!!!
The same for removing.
Thank you
I think the only solution that would offer no clicks/barriers to having access to the files other than a password is using a hardware encrypted USB drive like the Aegis USB drive I recommended before. You basically put in your password on the numeric key on the drive, and when you insert it, it shows up as a regular usb drive.
Veracrypt is not going to start up and know which volume to mount, and likewise, with shutdown, you will have to dismount the drive, close down veracrypt, and then go through the standard usb drive removal procedure. I think you should just get the encrypted usb drive. It solves a lot of issues for you and you don't have to worry about running veracrypt.