How to Secure a Thumb Drive With Medical Records on It

Data encryption makes it very difficult for prying eyes to view your sensitive information.

Medical records commonly present sensitive information. As such, we should take steps to keep such records private, especially when we store them on our computers. It's not sufficient to simply hide the files electronically or place them on a thumb drive; even when such steps are taken, it's a good idea to encrypt the information. Encryption adds an extra layer of security and heavily discourages unwanted access to sensitive information such as medical records by requiring a security key to access the files. The Windows operating system offers a built-in encryption tool that makes it easy to secure your files.

Things You'll Need

• Windows XP or higher

Instructions

1. Locate the files you'd like to secure using Windows Explorer.

2. Select the files to be encrypted by holding the left mouse button and dragging a selection box around them.

3. Right-click on any of the files and select "Properties" from the pop-up menu.

4. Click on the "Advanced..." button located near the bottom of the "Properties" pop-up box.

5. Click the checkbox labeled "Encrypt contents to secure data" and click "OK."

6. Click the "OK" button on the "Properties" pop-up box to apply the encryption and dismiss the "Properties" window.

Tips & Warnings

• When you encrypt files using this method, they can only be opened on your computer, and you must be logged in to the Windows username you used when you encrypted the files. If another user, whether on the same computer or a different one, attempts to open the files, he or she will be denied access.

• To remove the encryption on an encrypted file, simply access the same Advanced properties for that file, un-check the "Encrypt contents to secure data" box and click "OK."

• Encrypting your files makes it very unlikely that anyone can gain unauthorized access to the information contained within them, but it's not a catch-all solution. Be sure to keep track of your files and store them in a safe place, especially if you plan on transporting or archiving them on a thumb drive.

References

• Microsoft Support: How to Encrypt a File in Windows XP