AN IGNITION KEY FOR YOUR COMPUTER
Statistics show that the theft of portable computers continues to
be on the rise. And while that might not be so surprising, what
might cock an eyebrow is learning that it's not the loss of the
equipment itself that is of major concern. Oh sure, the computer has
some value and loss due to its theft is part of the problem. But the
real value of these stolen computers lies within the data they
contain. The costs associated to the theft of computer data are
literally hundreds if not thousands of times more valuable.
Data encryption is one way to insure that your computer's
information stays protected from prying eyes. But most encryption
products require the owner to remember passwords. Too often people
choose easy to remember passwords such as their dog's name or birth
dates and by doing so, they unwittingly sacrifice the security of
the data they are trying to protect. The only way to insure that a
password will not succumb to being guessed is to choose one that
isn't a real word. Choosing an actual English word leaves your
protection open to things like dictionary attacks. Specially
designed password cracking programs literally bombard a security
program with hundreds of thousands of words in hopes that the
correct one will be tried sooner or later. Given that there are only
so many words in the English language, it usually doesn't take these
kinds of attacks very long to accomplish their dirty work. An
effective password should contain a combination of letters, numbers
and even punctuation marks.
But the problem with these kinds of cryptic passwords is that
they are difficult to remember, especially if you need to keep track
of several different ones. Another solution is to use a physical key
that will unlock your computer's information. Two such keys are
available from Griffin Technologies.
 The
first version is called the SecuriKey ($149). The SecuriKey looks
much like one of those USB flash memory drives that plugs into any
available USB 1.1 or 2.0 port. But instead of containing memory, the
SecuriKey contains a sophisticated decryption key that will give you
access to your computer's data.
Using the included software, you install and configure the
SecuriKey in several different ways. You can designate that the
entire hard drive be encrypted but Griffin recommends that you
designate specific folders to be classified as confidential. While
the key is inserted, you have full access to the information
contained within these folders. In fact, they will appear completely
normal to you or any application that wants to access their files.
But when the key is removed, nothing within the specified folders
will be available.
Other convenient options for your desktop computer let you unplug
the key while the computer remains on. That way you can easily leave
your computer unattended knowing the data is safe. When you return,
just plug the SecuiKey back in and get immediate access.
For families concerned more about the security of their children
while accessing the Internet, Griffin's offers the ControlKey
($59.99). The ControlKey uses the same "ignition-key" metaphor but
allows parents to limit access to specific website addresses when
the ControlKey is not inserted. Access to other websites is only
possible when the ControlKey is inserted.
The SecuriKey package comes with two physical USB keys and
software that works on both Windows and Macintosh OS X systems.
Currently the ControlKey is only available for the Windows platform
and comes with just one key. By the way, if you lose all of your
keys, all is not lost as long as you registered the product. Griffin
will make you a new key at a nominal charge if you need it.
If you're looking for an effective way to keep your precious data
secure without the hassles associated with memorizing complex
passwords, then either of these products may just hold the key to
your solution.
www.securikey.com
www.controlkey.com
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