Password protecting USB sticks

Can I password protect my USB stick?

There are a number of utilities you can buy, or these are sometimes bundled (included) with your stick. Cryptainer is an example of encryption software.

These encrypt all the information on your stick and require you to enter a password before the data can be accessed. Your stick contains the encryption program and a big, sometimes hidden file which contains all your data.

When you plug the key into your PC it will appear as an additional drive, say the E: drive. You then run the encryption software on this drive and enter your password. If the password is correct then magically a new drive, say F: appears. You read and write your files as normal to this second drive. Take care though - if you forget the password then you have effectively lost all the data on the key!