Many of us choose to store our passwords digitally because it saves space, time, and hassle. But there is not just one method of storing passwords digitally. Many people today still prefer to use hardware password storage because of the absolute advantages of this method.
Hardware password storage involves using physical devices, such as SSDs and USB flash drives, to store your passwords. Let’s say you use a simple USB to store your passwords. This is considered a type of hardware storage.
The following devices are commonly used to store data: HDD, SSD, USB, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM).
The above devices and components all store data in different ways. You can also use older types of storage, such as floppy or magnetic disk (MDM), but such methods are rarely used today.
If you want to store your passwords in a portable hardware device, you can use a portable HDD, SSD, or USB drive. They are sold by thousands of online vendors, as well as many physical stores. Depending on the brand, memory capacity, and speed, the prices of those devices can vary widely.
However, these three storage options are not specifically designed for storing sensitive data, meaning unauthorized parties can more easily access them if given the opportunity. For example, if someone comes across your portable SSD and you have no layer of protection to keep the data it stores safe, that person can very easily access your password by connecting SSD drive with PC. The same goes for portable hard drives and USB flash drives.
But don’t worry: there are hardware options specifically designed for storing sensitive data. Encrypted USB drives, such as the Kingston IronKey, are a popular choice for those who want to store data with hardware but don’t want to deal with the vulnerabilities that conventional storage devices have. An encrypted USB can come with many useful security features, such as password protection, data encryption, and multi-password recovery.
However, there are ways you can encrypt a regular USB stick with flash drive encryption software, such as DriveCrypt and Rohos. Make sure you’re using a trusted software program if you want to do this, so you’re sure your password is actually being encrypted.
You can also use a basic electronic password device, such as a PIN-Master, which stores your password in an offline and encrypted setting. These are fairly low-tech devices, but sometimes less is better, as the lack of an Internet connection can disrupt remote attacks.