How to Create a Security Device With a Flash Drive

A flash drive can become a security key for your PC.

Protecting a PC from being intruded upon can be done by disabling the display when authorized personnel are not present. You can make a flash drive behave as a security "key" that will lock the PC when the flash drive is absent. You will need to install a flash drive security locking program, of which there are many available at no cost and operate in a similar fashion to one another. Using a flash drive as a security key will not damage the PC's operating system in any way.

Things You'll Need

• Windows-based computer
• Internet access
• Web browser

Instructions

1. Download a flash drive security locking program to the PC's desktop, for example, the free Predator program (see the link in "Resources" section). Double-click on the program's icon once the download is done. Follow the command prompts to install the program onto the PC's hard drive. Restart the PC.

2. Insert the flash drive into a USB port on the PC. Wait for the icon of the flash drive to appear on the PC's desktop.

3. Double-click on the icon of the flash drive security locking program that is on the desktop to launch it.

4. Check the "Fast" box next to the "Detection" tab on the flash drive security locking program's main screen.

5. Check the "Hide desktop icons" and "Minimize all windows" check boxes below the "Detection" tab.

6. Select "0 seconds" from the "Settings" drop down menu next to the "Interval" tab on the flash drive security locking program's main screen.

7. Select "100%" from the "Settings" drop down menu next to the "Screen darkness" tab on the flash drive security locking-program's main screen.

8. Enter a password into the "Current Password" text field below the "Change Password" tab. Re-enter the password into the "New Password" text field below "Current Password."

9. Select the flash drive from the "USB flash drive" drop down menu next to the "Create key on Drive" tab.

10. Press the "Create Key" button to the right of the "Create key on Drive" tab. Wait as the flash drive security locking program writes special code to the flash drive. Minimize the flash drive security locking program once the code has been written to the flash drive.

11. Drag the flash drive security locking program into any folder so that it is no longer seen on the desktop.

12. Remove the flash drive from the USB port of the PC. Wait as the screen immediately blackens and the PC locks up. Reinsert the flash drive to re-enable the PC and bring the screen brightness back to its normal state.

Tips & Warnings

• Make a second USB flash drive into a security key in case you lose or damage the one you will be using.

• Inexpensive flash drives can stop working after a short period of time due to being made of inferior materials.

References

• dotTech: Predator: use your USB/flash drive to lock your computer when you are away

Resources

• Amostre Memory: History of USB Flash drives
• Vicman Software: Predator