Before you buy

Q. What hardware can I convert into a "StegoStik" device?
A. Any standard USB storage device should work with the StegoStik™ Toolkit, but this is not guaranteed. Please ensure you test a sample device before buying multiple units. Devices with custom hardware or special drivers may not work.

Q. What are the security benefits of a software-based solution?
A. The decryption key is not stored on the device. Every hardware-based device we know does store the key and so relies on nobody ever finding a hack to access it. (One competitor fills the device with cement to try to prevent forensic experts from recovering it. Let's hope that process has a zero defect rate!)

Q. What security options are configurable for StegoStik™ devices?
A. Please see this configuration options document. The values in the column headed 'Enterprise' are those used by default if you do not use the StegoStik™ Toolkit to supply an alternative configuration.

Q. Can I disable the security if I want to revert to an unencrypted device?
A. Yes. Just delete all the files from the device and it will free up the space for unencrypted files. Provided you do not reformat the device, the toolkit will be able to reinstate the security files later if required.

Q. What operating systems does StegoStik™ Enterprise software work with?
A. Windows 2000, XP and Vista.

Q. Does StegoStik™ Enterprise software work with Mac / OS X / Linux?
A. No. They are reported to work with some emulators, but we do not track or support this.

Q. How do StegoStik™ devices compare with biometric devices?
A. Biometrics devices have some uses, but are poor for data sharing. Please read this detailed answer.

Q. What is the difference between StegoStik™ Enterprise and StegoStik™ Privacy software?
A. StegoStik™ Enterprise devices are targeted at the corporate market, and help enforce a security policy through a wide range of configuration options. The StegoStik™ Privacy software is intended for personal users, giving them full control over the configuration of their secure storage.

Software support

Q. Why does it say 'Device full' when I try to copy (or save) my files?
A. You can't copy (or save) files directly to a StegoStik™ Enterprise device. First run StegoStik.exe and set up a passphrase; then drag your files into the StegoStik™ window. See full instructions.

Q. Why does my StegoStik™ Enterprise device not work on Windows Vista?
A. You need version 2.1.0 or later of the StegoStik.exe software (see Help -> About StegoStik) for Vista compatibility. See below regarding upgrading your software.

Q. How do I upgrade the software for my StegoStik™ Enterprise device?
A. If your device was a corporate purchase then it is best upgraded using the StegoStik™ Toolkit which your IT administrator may have. If you purchased it as an individual, or are unsure who to contact in your organisation, please email your device identifier (see Help -> About StegoStik) to support@stegostik.co.uk.

StegoStik™ Toolkit support

Q. How do I obtain the StegoStik™ Toolkit?
A. This can now be downloaded for free from our product page. You can also download ReadMe.txt (13KB) for installation and usage instructions.

Q. Can I convert my device into a "StegoStik" without reformatting it?
A. No. However, there are ways to change the configuration of the device to retain unencrypted files; see ReadMe.txt (13KB).

Q. Why does my administrator passphrase not work?
A. Once you have set up the administrator passphrase on a device, the user passphrase must be reset before the administrator private key will access any data on the device.