3 Ways to Disguise a USB Drive

Even in the age of cloud computing, USB sticks are very important. Some USB drives are more important than others. You can store personal information about them that you don’t want anyone else to get their hands on.

Unfortunately, the USB drive itself isn’t all that secure, even if you add basic password protection to it. Instead, go ninja and hide in plain sight by disguising a virtual USB drive.

What USB flash drives can you use?

If you are a DIY enthusiast, you can work with any standard flash drive. But this is ideal — not to buy the best and most reliable USB keys. What you need is something cheap and tiny.

USB Hidden Flat

If you’re buying new, look for a flash drive with simple silicone molding instead of a hard plastic case. You can also use a plastic case if you have several of these. Super Talent Pico-C 16 GB (UK) is fully compliant.

No matter which USB key you use, you will have to hack or open it. What you need is just a PCB with a USB port, nothing else. As long as you can achieve this, it doesn’t matter what type of flash drive you have.

1. Disguised as a broken USB cable

When you see a broken cable with its frayed wires, you think it’s time to throw it away. You will never think about connecting it to your computer. That’s why it’s the best hiding place for a flash drive.

The EvilMadScientist guide will show you how to make this disguise. Take any old cable you have. Cut along the side of the USB port just deep enough that you can fold back the rubber.

Disguised USB Cable Final Example

Using a small screwdriver, remove the tabs and parts that hold the USB key to the wire. If you are using a compact flash drive such as the Super Talent Pico, insert the drive into the USB port. If you are using a flash drive with a PCB and a USB port together, then disconnect the USB port of the frayed wire and insert it into the drive.

Seal everything back and test the disc once. If it works, it’s time to seal it up for good. For insulation, apply heat shrink tubing or electrical tape. Then fill the remaining space with a five-minute fast drying epoxy gel.

Voila! You have a flash drive that looks like a broken cable. Make sure the ends of the cable look frayed, with a few wires sticking out to complete the trick.

This is a type of disguise that has multiple uses. You can even turn a USB drive into a lock/unlock key for your PC. No one will suspect that this is the key, even if it lies next to your computer.

2. USB in lipstick or lipstick

The easiest way to hide a USB key in plain sight is to put it in an old lipstick or lipstick case. Most people aren’t going to open your lipstick to see if it’s really inside.

USB Disguised as Chapstick or Lipstick

To do this, you will need an old lipstick or lipstick, as well as epoxy in the form and gel. First, make sure the lipstick is completely peeled off so that only the shell and cap remain. Of course, your USB stick needs to fit in the case for this to work. You might even be able to use a full-size fast USB 3.0 flash drive. so check the size before you start the project.

Take a flash drive and apply an epoxy mold to it so that the surface is covered but not submerged in water. Place this in an empty lipstick case so the USB port comes out neatly. Fill the remaining space in the case with gel-style epoxy. Wait for everything to dry and clean the edges with a dot knife.

Put the cap back on and you have a hidden USB dongle in the lipstick case Check out WonderHowTo for a USB flash drive with a note in case you get stuck along the way.

3. Hide in a simple way from a dead wall

The USB Dead Drop project is a pretty cool way to get involved in the global geek movement. In it, people hide a flash drive in a wall somewhere on the street and post its location on deaddrops.com. Anyone is free to come and take whatever is on this disc.

USB Wall Dead Drop Example

We showed you how to create a «dead drop» and participate in the «dead dead drop» project but the wall dead drop has more uses. It shouldn’t be public in the first place. It can also be two-way, so you and a group of friends can exchange files on campus without anyone knowing about it.

User Instructables’ students have put together a simple, step-by-step guide to making wall drips. You’ll need a stripped-down USB drive, plumber’s tape, quick-drying cement putty, and something to wipe off the cement with. If you can get a cordless drill, that’s better.

Wrap a stripped USB stick with water tape to make it waterproof. Then dig a small hole in the wall using the drill or whatever tool you got. Put your disk there, apply cement to fix it. That’s it, you just have your own USB wall!

Please do not make holes in the walls that do not belong to you, otherwise you will be liable for property damage.

Buy, don’t build

Sometimes you don’t need to roll up your sleeves and take out your tools. All you need is your credit card. Here are some cool disguised USB sticks that you can buy without assembly.

USB credit card (UK) — Suitable for the credit card slot in your wallet. No one will know it’s a USB drive until you take it out and open the tiny USB key.

Lipstick USB (UK) — The aforementioned USB lipstick can be bought instead of the manufactured one. It doesn’t look that good or convincing, but hey, it’s much easier!