How to Choose Storage Types

Panwrypter is intended to be used with the most popular types of storage media and online file storage services. Before you start protecting and deploying your files, we recommend that that you review the information below which lists considerations for each type of storage media.

IMPORTANT: This information is provided to help you make decisions about selecting the right storage media and/or online storage services for your protected files. Ultimately it is your responsibility to understand how Panwrypter protects files, and select the most suitable storage sites and storage media, based on your needs.

Storage Media	Rough Lifespan	Examples
Optical Media	Decades	CD/DVD/BD
Flash Media	Years	SSD, Removable Drives, USB Stick, Memory Cards
Hard Disk Drives	Years	HDD, Removable HDD
Online Storage	Varies	iCloud Drive, DropBox, Google Drive

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Optical Media

Write Once: BD-R/CD-R/DVD-R/DVD+R
Read/Write: CD-RW/DVD-RW/DVD+RW/DVD-RAM

Advantages

• COST EFFECTIVE
  Generally less expensive than other types of storage media


• COMPACT
  Optical discs are normally smaller and lighter than many other types of storage media


• LONGEVITY
  More resilient over time


• DURABILITY
  Withstands physical shock and vibration better than other types of media

Risks

• PHYSICAL LOSS
  The media could be lost, misplaced or stolen since it is generally being secured by the owner


• ACCESS
  The media is subject to damage, such as scratching, when mounting, dismounting, accessing, transporting


• MATERIAL AGING
  The materials used to produce this type of media may deteriorate over time. "Read/Write" discs typically have a shorter lifespan than "Write Once" discs, due to the use of less robust materials to implement the read/write capability

Mitigation

• SECURE
  Store the disc in a secure area, such as a safe or safe deposit box


• ENVIRONMENT
  Store your discs in a specialized media storage case, which can maintain a temperature-stable, dry, dark environment, which minimizes exposure to air pollutants


• REDUCE ACCESS
  Minimize the periodic need to access to the storage media


• BACKUPS
  Make multiple backups of the same disc, in case one fails


• MEDIA QUALITY
  Use good quality storage media. Archival grade media, such as M-Disc are more expensive, but may be a good option for very long term data storage

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Removable Flash Media

SSD, USB Drives, USB Stick, Memory Cards

Advantages

• FAST
  SSD drives generally allow very rapid access to data when compared with other types of storage media, due to the use of high speed flash memory to store data vs. physically moving parts


• COMPACT
  Flash drives are normally smaller and lighter than many other types of storage media

Risks

• PHYSICAL LOSS
  The flash drive could be lost, misplaced or stolen since it is generally being secured by the owner. USB Sticks and Memory Cards are especially vulnerable to being physically lost due to their portable nature and small size


• WRITE DEGRADATION
  Over time, flash drives are subject to degradation over time as a result of repeated write operations, which erode the nano-scale structure of the memory cells. Flash drives have ways to mitigate this problem. Typically the higher quality flash drives will do a better job of managing the storage of data on the drive, as well as detecting and correcting errors


• PHYSICAL SHOCK
  Storage media that requires electronic circuitry will be more prone to fail through physical shock or repeated use. USB Sticks usually have their connector attached to the body of the device. Over time, the repeated connection/removal of the USB stick, combined with the possibility of the drive suffering impact with other objects while plugged in, means that the electronic components and connector are more likely to get damaged


• ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE (ESD)
  Electrostatic discharges can affect flash drives when static electricity is accidentally routed through the circuitry of the drive, and damages components that cannot handle or dissipate the energy quickly enough


• TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY
  Combined temperature and humidity changes that result in condensation, can affect flash drives by causing corrosion of the electronic components


• IMPROPER REMOVAL
  Flash drives are more susceptable to incidents where the media is removed before it has been properly unmounted from the file system

Mitigation

• SECURE
  Store the flash drive in a secure area, such as a safe or safe deposit box


• ENVIRONMENT
  Store your flash drives in a specialized media storage case, which can maintain a temperature-stable, dry, dark environment, which minimizes exposure to air pollutants


• SHIELD
  Store the flash drive in an Electro Static Discharge (ESD) protective bag, and avoid handling any part of the circuitry


• REDUCE ACCESS
  Minimize the periodic need to access to the flash drive


• BACKUPS
  Make multiple backups of the same flash drive, in case one fails


• CUSHION
  Avoid excessive shock to the flash drive


• MEDIA QUALITY
  Use good quality storage media. Professional grade flash drives may be a better option to prolong data storage


• PATIENCE
  Never remove the flash drives from the system while files are being accessed. Always unmount or eject the flash drive before removing it

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Hard Disk Drives (HDD)

Fixed HDD, Portable HDD

Advantages

• CAPACITY
  Hard disk drives have higher capacity than other types of commonly used storage media allowing you to store a larger volume of data


• FASTER
  Allow faster access to data when compared with optical disks, such as CD's/DVD's/BD's

Risks

• PHYSICAL LOSS
  The hard drive could be lost, misplaced or stolen since it is generally being secured by the owner


• PHYSICAL SHOCK
  Hard drives use electronic circuitry and moving disk hardware, which is more prone to fail through physical shock, which can disrupt the motion of the disk, or damage the electronic circuitry


• MAGNETIC CORRUPTION
  Conventional hard drives store data using magnetic thin film technology, and are subject to corruption and possible loss from external sources of magnetic radiation


• ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE (ESD)
  Electrostatic discharges can affect hard drives when static electricity is accidentally routed through the circuitry of the drive, and damages components that cannot handle or dissipate the energy quickly enough


• TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY
  Combined temperature and humidity changes that result in condensation, can affect hard drives by causing corrosion of the disk components and electronic circuitry


• MATERIAL AGING
  Certain types of air pollutants can affect the performance of the disk drive over time. For instance, more polluted areas of the world that have a higher sulfur content can cause a gradual corrosion of the components of the hard drive. This especially applies to the components of the hard drive that are outside the protective casing


• PREMATURE DEVICE REMOVAL
  Removable hard drives are more susceptable to premature removal issues, which occurs when the hard drive is removed before it has been properly unmounted from the system

Mitigation

• SECURE
  Store the hard drive in a secure area, such as a safe or safe deposit box


• ENVIRONMENT
  Store the hard drive in a specialized media storage case, which can maintain a temperature-stable, dry, dark environment, which minimizes exposure to air pollutants


• SHIELD
  Do not store the hard drive near any magnetic sources, such as speakers, that could cause damage to the data stored on the disc. Store the hard drive in an Electro Static Discharge (ESD) protective bag, and avoid handling any part of the circuitry


• REDUCE ACCESS
  Minimize the periodic need to access the hard drive


• BACKUPS
  Make multiple backups of the same hard drive, in case one fails


• CUSHION
  Avoid excessive shock to the hard drive


• MEDIA QUALITY
  Use a good quality hard drive


• PATIENCE
  Never remove the hard drive from the system while files are being accessed. Always unmount or eject the hard drive before removing it

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Online File Storage

Microsoft OneDrive, DropBox, Google Drive, iCloud Drive

Advantages

• ACCESIBILITY
  Convenient and simple access to your files from anywhere


• INTEGRITY
  The physical integrity of your files is managed by the provider

Risks

• GLOBAL EXPOSURE
  As a result of being Internet-connected, online file storage providers are constantly exposed to the possibility of being hacked. Incidents of Data Breaches are not uncommon. In some instances, data breaches are not known or reported until weeks, months, or years after they occur. Once hackers glean account credentials for these services, they can make batches of them available on the dark web.


• BUSINESS RELATED CHANGES
  If you are storing your data with a third party, it is important to consider that the entity who stores/hosts your data over time may change, based on normal business factors such as end of life, aquisition, merger, and bankruptcy. Their policies on data storage, privacy and retention may change as well over time

Mitigation

• PANWRYPTER
  Using Panwrypter to protect your files across different sites means that if one site is hacked, the files cannot be reverse engineered


• MONITOR
  Monitor and be aware of key changes relating to your preferred online file storage provider(s), including business changes and cyber-attacks


• USE LOCAL STORAGE MEDIA
  Consider using local storage media for files and information that you consider private


• BACKUPS
  Make multiple backups of your files on different file storage sites, or on local storage media

Remember

Be sure to remember where your storage sites and storage media are. The Clue Cards feature can help make it easier to do this. Remember the original password you used to protect them.

Due to the nature of depleted file storage, if you lose a site, or even one volume from a site, you will not be able to recover your files.

Make backups of the storage media at each site, and make sure the duplicate copies are physically separated.

Perform regular practice protect/collect/restore exercises to build familiarity with Panwrypter's style of protection, and prevent any potential problems related to the storage of your information.

Entropic accepts no responsibility for the accuracy and effectiveness of this information, or for any loss of files or information that you might incur while using Panwrypter.