NT Gold Key Encryption

[Kea]

While searching for a new flash drive, I saw a Gold Key Token. It's a USB gizmo that you use to encrypt your computer files. They can't be opened unless this gizmo is inserted and the password is entered. It sounded like a nice easy way for me to encrypt the data on my computer. I bought it at Fry's for $50 & read the manual (well, most of it) and it looks like it will do what I want (inexpensive way to secure my data). But I'm not sure how much it will slow things down.

I'm still kinda nervous because if I do anything wrong, I can destroy everything. I'm fairly computer savvy but this has such a high risk factor.

Has anyone used this product? Does it work as advertised? Specifically does it work with ATX (and TaxWorks) since those files have to be in a specific location?

Thanks!

[ILLMAS]

What happens if you lose the token? Microsoft has a finger print device that's works similar to that, but are you in a high risk area that someone would want your files?

[Kea]

They also have some kind of Grand Master and Master keys but that is more for a corporate environment. If a key is lost, a higher key can still access the data. For me it will just be the one token and I can register it with Gold Key. I haven't done that yet, but that process is supposed to let them help you get back into your system if you lose the key.

I don't know that I'm particularly high risk. I figure if someone were to steal my computer it would just be to pawn it. But I am trying to find an EASY way to increase the protection of my clients' data. Granted it hasn't been encrypted for the last 10 years. I have a password for getting into Windows, but if someone wants the data (and they know it's there), they can get it from DOS. When I leave my home office, I put the computer in the safe. But when I travel I don't have a safe. I do try to take precautions, but anything could happen. So I'm just looking for an easy way to keep the data safe. I might not really need the encryption if the Gold Key will give me a way to lock the whole computer and not just Windows (I haven't seen that it does that) I like that there is an extra level of protection besides a password. Knowing you have to have the gizmo AND a password makes it more secure.

[Catherine]

There is also a software company called PGP that sells a (one-time) whole-disk encryption system. Don't know if that would help you, but it's not very expensive.

The web site for their product is: PGP Encryption

[Kea]

It looks interesting. I'm kind of glad to see this from Norton rather than McAfee. I had nothing but trouble with McAfee many years ago. I used to use Norton for all my security utilities until a couple of years ago. Then it started giving me problems (slowed down the computer and various conflicts). Are you using PGP? I'd be curious how well it works. Even if it is 3 times the cost of the Gold Key.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[Catherine]

It looks interesting. I'm kind of glad to see this from Norton rather than McAfee. I had nothing but trouble with McAfee many years ago. I used to use Norton for all my security utilities until a couple of years ago. Then it started giving me problems (slowed down the computer and various conflicts). Are you using PGP? I'd be curious how well it works. Even if it is 3 times the cost of the Gold Key.

Thanks for the suggestion.

I purchased PGP but haven't installed it yet. It was on the list to do for this past weekend but life intervened and I never got there. With any luck I'll do it this week and t hen can let you know.

The great thing about PGP is that even if your laptop is then stolen by someone who wants to steal the data -- they can't; it's encrypted. And all those email people insist on sending me with confidential information -- once they're on my disk, they'll be encrypted, too.

[Kea]

I think Gold Key will do those things for me, too. You can encrypt a file or folder -- as much or as little as you want. I want something better than what I have -- which is just a password on Windows. They can still get in through DOS. Hopefully with Gold Key (or PGP) anything they want is encrypted. And hopefully they can't get to anything without the key.

Gold Key also has a method for encrypting e-mails and attachments. I haven't read up on that part, yet. I may play with that after I get the basics encrypted.

I look forward to hearing your results. I still would like to hear from any Gold Key users (if there are any) and users of other encryption options. Good or bad so I know what to try or what to avoid.

Thanks.

[Catherine]

I think Gold Key will do those things for me, too. You can encrypt a file or folder -- as much or as little as you want. I want something better than what I have -- which is just a password on Windows. They can still get in through DOS. Hopefully with Gold Key (or PGP) anything they want is encrypted. And hopefully they can't get to anything without the key.

Gold Key also has a method for encrypting e-mails and attachments. I haven't read up on that part, yet. I may play with that after I get the basics encrypted.

I look forward to hearing your results. I still would like to hear from any Gold Key users (if there are any) and users of other encryption options. Good or bad so I know what to try or what to avoid.

Thanks.

I would also like to hear from Gold Key users if there are any in the group.

As far as passwords go, I've heard two excellent suggestions over the years. One is the first letters of a phrase - very hard to guess. "Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce special orders don't upset us" becomes htphtlsoduu (which looks Finnish with a touch of Hawaiian). The other is a simple password with a different numeric code appended, assigned by letter, changed whenever you want. And you can keep the number codes with you - they're useless by themselves. For example, your simple password is "hello", and your numeric card looks like this:

First letter:-> ABC DEF GHI

2nd letter:

abc 9657 7402 8246

def 2964 6725 3841

ghi 1836 8453 6837

So your Bank of America password would be hello9657

your Geico Insurance password would be hello8453

Delta Airlines = hello6725

etc.

and all you ever have to remember is "hello".

[Kea]

Another password variation I saw on TV was to use your "easy" password. Then, when typing, move your fingers up one row from the "home keys" on the keyboard. That helps you get random numbers into your password.

So using your "hello" example would become: y3oo9. This works best if you are a "touch typist."

[Josh]

I don't have any experience with PGP but I have used GoldKey for almost two years now. I was worried about losing performance due to the encryption, but I haven't noticed any degradation.

I was able to protect data for my software applications using the Folder Encryption tab in the software. You just select the folder where your software application data resides and the GoldKey moves the data inside your primary Secure Drive. As long as you have unclocked the Secure Drive, everything appears as normal to the application.

I originally chose the GoldKey product because I wanted two factor authentication. Other software encryption products seem to have a weakness in that if you can guess the password, you have access to all the data. This is not the case with my GoldKey.

If you go and sign up for the free GoldKey ID account, you can recover your data if your token ever becomes lost or stolen. This came in handy when I misplaced my GoldKey at the airport. I got a new GoldKey and was able to recover my data.

Hope that helps...

Josh

[Kea]

Thanks so much. I have been "nervous" about trying it because I don't want to make any mistakes and destroy any data. Would you mind if I asked more questions when I actually try to set it up?

Thanks!