Risk Assessment / Security & Hacktivism

Ask Ars: How can I secure data I need to carry with me?

In this video edition, Ask Ars goes on the lam with 100GB of data to figure …

In 1998, Ask Ars was an early feature of the newly-launched Ars Technica. Now, as then, it's all about your questions and our community's answers. Each week, we'll dig into our question bag, provide our own take, then tap the wisdom of our readers. To submit your own question, see our helpful tips page.

Question: What's the most secure way to transport 100GB of data via Sneakernet?

Sharing small files across the Internet with a good amount of security keeps getting easier, but large datasets can still create long, painful upload times. In this video edition of Ask Ars, we cover the most secure ways to transport large datasets by trekking the dusty trail, otherwise known as Sneakernet, even with predators in hot pursuit.

Ask Ars will school you in the ways of secure physical data transportation.

In the video, we discuss how figuring hardware into the equation offers additional physical security options, like fingerprint scanners, biometric drives, and smart cards (though these are more commonly used with full disk encryption). Those measures aside, good old software-based encryption is always a safe bet, and we run would-be data transporters through a few different options.

No matter what method you choose, security takes time. If you're in the process of creating the files you'll be transporting, you should encrypt them on the fly. Otherwise, reserve a block of time for the whole thing to get scrambled. Do your due diligence and secure your computer before dealing with sensitive data, especially if you have persistent nemeses, and keep your passphrases safe.

Finally, if you're prone to being chased by interlopers like data bears, proper cardio training is paramount.

What methods do you use to keep your portable media safe from prying eyes?

(Update: Hidden TrueCrypt volumes have two passwords, one for the visible volume and the other for the nested hidden volume. But users do not need to open the visible volume in order to open the hidden one, as suggested in the video.)

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