Knowing how to password protect your pen drive (also known as a flash or USB drive) is critical if you plan to carry personal or sensitive files. With pen drives becoming increasingly common, the chances of losing one or having it stolen can only increase. Password protection can protect your data and provide peace of mind as you use one of these time-saving tools.

Tools To Password Protect Your Pen DrivePen drive and software manufacturers provide several different options when it comes time to password protect your pen drive. Your options range from free software-based protection to sophisticated biometric solutions. Here are a few of the better options:

• As individual as a fingerprint. Some pen drives come with built in biometric identifying hardware that reads a fingerprint to identify the owner. The BioDrive by Axiom Memory Solutions (www.axiommemory.com) requires the user to swipe her finger over a special reader before the drive will allow file access. The unit features 128-bit data encryption and is compatible with all versions of the Windows OS.
• Security built in. Many manufacturers include password protection software already loaded on the pen drive. Lexar (www.lexar.com) and Kingston Technology (www.kingston.com) are two companies that provide 256-bit data encryption software on select pen drive models. Typically, these pre-loaded solutions support both Windows and the Apple OS, but check with the manufacturer for details. If you choose a pre-loaded software product, be sure to back the software up on your computer in case the application on the pen drive becomes deleted or corrupted.
• Free is good. Several software companies provide free password protection software for your pen drive. Cryptainer LE from Cypherix (www.cypherix.co.uk) and TrueCrypt (www.truecrypt.org) are two free software products that allow you to password protect files, folders or even entire disk partitions. While Cryptainer is a Windows only application, TrueCrypt provides Windows and Apple OS versions of their software.