Hands-on: Hypertec encrypted USB Flash drive

Hypertec's DataSafe Business Edition (BE) line of USB Flash drives uses encryption to protect data, with access via a password.

In fact, you cannot use the drive at all until you have set a password, ensuring that data is protected.

We looked at a sample of the 'rugged' version, which ships in a rubberised casing. Other case styles are also available.

Its ruggedness was inadvertently put to the test when it was accidentally dropped into a mug of very hot liquid, but we are happy to report that the DataSafe BE appeared not to suffer and worked perfectly after being retrieved and dried out.

When connected to a PC, the DataSafe BE appears as two extra logical drives: the first holds the software executable required to access the second one, which simply appears as a volume zero bytes in size.

Double-clicking on the first volume. labelled 'Datasafe BE' on our system, brings up the password application.

The first time the device is used, you are prompted to enter a password. This must be between eight and 16 characters, and must include at least one digit and one non-alphabetic character.

You can optionally enter a hint phrase, to be displayed in case you later forget the password. This is important, as it may be difficult or impossible to recover data on the drive without the password.

With subsequent use, the password application allows you to lock or unlock the data volume on the USB stick. Unlocking requires the password, after which you have full access.

You can lock it again once you have finished with the drive, but simply removing it from the system, via the Safely Remove Hardware tool in the Windows notification area, serves the same function.

The rugged version of the DataSafe BE is available in capacities from 1GB, which costs £25, up to a £50 8GB model. Other versions are available in capacities up to 64GB.