What’s on your stick?

We can always remember the past, the way things used to be. We are normally afraid of the future or the unknown. The dawning of the 21st century has had an enormous effect on information, the way we use information and the way we store information. For that matter, the Information Age has introduced a certain necessity to be connected to unlimited amounts of data that are impossible to keep contained in our heads. It affects every walk of life and every profession in the world. All of this has led to an influx of smart phones, faster and faster computers and larger data storage capacities. In fact, we store so much data that, very often, we forget where we stored it. The proliferation of portable storage is growing so quickly that portable data storage has become a way of life for us. From external hard drives and the cloud to tiny USB flash drives (more commonly just called sticks), we now expect immediate access to all the data we consider important. Sales of USB flash drives is estimated to hit half a trillion pieces by 2015.

Along with the massive amounts of data storage, hacking, prying and electronic data theft has also grown. Everybody knows that the internet is not private, so using the cloud for personal or important information is not a good idea. Passwords are hackable. Even your 10-digit, alpha-numeric, mixed upper/lower case passwords can be hacked using available software. One of the most secure forms of protection is biometric encryption where only you physically have the key. Biometric finger printing is, by far, one of the most secure locks available. Fingerprint scanning has its detractors, but if you worry about someone cutting off your finger maybe you have more to worry about than the information you have stored. Getting past a biometric scanner is not as easy as some fear. First, there is a matter of someone actually acquiring the fingerprint from the correct finger. Next they have to duplicate it somehow, then they have to figure out which part of the finger was used, the tip or the swirl. Then they have to figure out which orientation they have to use on the scanner. The permutations and combinations are countless. So unless you actually help somebody break your biometric lock, they are most likely out of luck. Realistically, it doesn’t even have to be a fingerprint, just some part of your body like a toe, for example.

A small company from Toronto has just introduced a new line of biometric fingerprint scanners which will protect your portable data. The Encriptor One line of encryption devices by Great Durable Products will encrypt your stick and you’re covered.