Biometric USB Drive Recommendations

[Ian]

I'm trying to find a secure way to store data without needing to remember a password, so my thoughts were using a USB drive that unlocks via a fingerprint reader and store this in a physically secure location. A long password would be better, but can't use one in this instance!

It looks like there are only a limited number of fingerprint/biometric USB drives available, such as this one:

Lexar JumpDrive Fingerprint F35 64GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive : Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Buy

www.amazon.co.uk

Has anyone seen something better than this Lexar one?

 

[Ian]

Also found this, which looks a little better:

SAMSUNG T7 Touch Portable SSD 500 GB - Up to 1050 MB/s - USB 3.2 External Solid State Drive, Black (MU-PC500K/WW) : Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Buy

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[Quadophile]

Depends on how long you want to keep the data, I assume updating and maintaining for as long as you need it. I would buy two Lexar JumpDrive and back up everything on them in duplicate. I have been dabbling with computers and accessories for last 40+ years and I do not trust them one bit.

Just so you know I had two CF memory cards that I was using with my old Nikon Digital Camera 995. One of them was a Lexar bought in 2001 which was 128 MB and another one was Transcend bought 10 years later in 2011 or so. The Transcend got corrupted and I lost all the pictures in it, I had, of course, transferred all of them to my computer back then so nothing was lost. The card even after formatting in the camera is slow. The Lexar however is working perfectly even though it is 20 years old. I also have a Sandisk titanium 4 GB USB flash drive which I had bought sometime in 2007/8 that also has been erratic and is basically not usable. Talk about buying a nondestructive USB drive, this was far from it.

I am mentioning all of this to just let you know that I have ZERO faith in anything computer-related. Three things are the major culprits as I have experienced them over the years, virus, corruption, and failure. It is one of the three that destroys important data. I am lucky I never had a virus infection, but surely corruption of files and device failure are two things I have been through a few times.

Good luck with whatever you decide to buy.

Do you think I am now sounding like an old whiner now?

 

[Ian]

Thanks Anis, I'm of a similar opinion when it comes to longevity - but this backup isn't too important, it's just I need one that can be used without remembering a password and still keep it pretty secure. It's for someone that isn't going to have a great memory for remembering secure passwords.

I've got my own backups spread over 3 different places, so hopefully they can't all fail all at once . I still remember the sinking feeling when PCR crashed something like 20 years ago and I didn't have an up-to-date backup!

 

[Quadophile]

@Ian If my memory serves me right, the biblical crash occurred in 1999 AD

 

[bodhi]

What about cloud storage? I’m sure you can use a token / Authenticator on your phone?

 

[Ian]

Got cloud storage already for the data too, but need an offline/biometric version too . TBH, I've not made any progress buying a drive yet, but I'll have to get one sorted over the summer.

 

[bodhi]

Got cloud storage already for the data too, but need an offline/biometric version too . TBH, I've not made any progress buying a drive yet, but I'll have to get one sorted over the summer.

I’m curious as to what the data is You don’t have to say, I imagine it’s personal.

You’ve got me wondering if there’s a business in this. Like lock boxes at banks where data can be stored and it uses biometrics for entry. Probably not, but it’s 7am here and I’ve just woken up. Lol.

 

[Ian]

I’m curious as to what the data is You don’t have to say, I imagine it’s personal.

You’ve got me wondering if there’s a business in this. Like lock boxes at banks where data can be stored and it uses biometrics for entry. Probably not, but it’s 7am here and I’ve just woken up. Lol.

Nothing exciting I'm afraid . I wanted to make a backup of all my important information, legal docs, bank details etc... so that I can store it and we won't need need to remember a password for it (hopefully won't need it, so will only need the password once a year or so to update backup - so may forget it). My girlfriend and her kids are moving in this week, so I've been doing sensible things like planning a will, backing up our important information, etc...

So many of my important documents are all digital now, I don't really need many bits of paper other than house deeds and a few other random things.