How to encrypt and secure USB Flash Drive / pendrive with password using TrueCrypt?

Due to the nature of the work I sometimes use a pendrive or external USB hard drive to transfer various materials. However, the problem in case of loss or theft will not only its physical loss but also a loss of data.

To prevent that, you should encrypt such a disk, allowing access to data contained on it will be possible only after entering a password. For this purpose, we use the TrueCrypt program to create a container encrypted by AES and then prepare a drive to have it automatically decrypted after entering the correct password.

Here’s a brief instruction:

  1. Download TrueCrypt i and run it with option “Extract”
  2. Run the extracted programm and click “Create Volume”
  1. Select “Create an encrypted file container”
  1. Choose “Standard TrueCrypt Volume”
  1. Click “Browse” button, choose the USB drive and place the name “info”
  1. You don’t need to change anything in encryption options.
  1. On the next screen, enter the size of the media by subtracting from it 20 MB.
  1. Enter the passwrd you have choosen.
  1. The last step is to encrypt the created volume.
  1. Volumes have already been created. Now it’s time to prepare media to automatically run the program with the password entry screen.

Result

The root folder should contain a file called “info”. This is where you put three files: autorun.inf, start.bat, stop.bat to be responsible for manual and automatic startup procedure. To the root directory, copy the entire folder with the program TrueCrypt.

File start.bat

TrueCrypt\truecrypt /v info /lp /q /a /m rm /e  

File stop.bat

TrueCrypt\truecrypt /dp /q

File autorun.inf

[autorun]
label=Data
action=Mount TrueCrypt
open=TrueCrypt\truecrypt /v info /lp /q /a /m rm /e 

shell=mounttc
hell\mounttc=&Mount Truecrypt
shell\mounttc\command=TrueCrypt\truecrypt /v info /lp /q /a /m rm /e 

shell=dismounttc
shell\dismounttc=&Unmount Truecrypt
shell\dismounttc\command=TrueCrypt\truecrypt /dp /q 

shell=runtc
shell\runtc=Run TrueCrypt
shell\runtc\command=TrueCrypt\truecrypt 

From this moment access to the files will be possible only after entering a password. What’s important – even on computers where you don’t have TrueCrypt installed.

Note: Before removing the media you should unmount it by running the file stop.bat or by clicking on the drive letter P to select Unmount Truecrypt

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