In digital office work and personal data storage, USB drives have become an important carrier for data transmission due to their portability. However, they also face security risks such as data leakage and unauthorized access. As two mainstream security protection software for USB drives, USB Lock and File Lock Pro construct protection systems from different dimensions respectively. This article will conduct an in-depth comparison of the core functional differences between the two, and provide users with an accurate software selection guide based on practical application scenarios.​

I. Core Functional Differences: The Divergence Between “Device Management” and “File Protection” Paths​

There is an essential difference in the functional design logic between USB Lock and File Lock Pro. The former focuses on “device-level access and behavior management”, while the latter emphasizes “file-level encryption and permission locking”. The specific differences are shown in the following table and detailed explanations:​

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Functional Dimension​	Core Capabilities of USB Lock​	Core Capabilities of File Lock Pro​
Core Protection Logic​	Device access control to block unauthorized USB drive access and irregular operations​	File entity protection to restrict file access and copying through encryption and hiding​
Encryption Mechanism​	Only encrypts transmission data of authorized devices, without actively encrypting files in USB drives​	AES-256 high-strength encryption, converting files into exclusive formats (.gfl/.exe) that require a password for decryption​
Anti-copy Implementation​	Prohibit USB drive write permissions or restrict device access to block copying from the source​	Does not prevent recording/printing; indirectly prevents copying by making files invisible and inaccessible through “deep hiding + password locking”​
Device Management Scope​	Covers almost all external devices such as USB/SD drives, CD/DVDs, mobile phones, printers, and Bluetooth​	Only targets files in USB drives and storage devices, with no external device management capabilities​
Logging and Monitoring​	Records detailed USB device access time, file operations (creation/deletion/modification), and authorization/denial history​	No device operation logging function; only records file encryption/decryption operations within the software​

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1. USB Lock: Building a Security Boundary with “Device Management”​

(1) USB Device Access and Permission Management​

As a core function, USB Lock supports a “whitelist mechanism”, which only allows trusted USB drives added by administrators to access the computer. Unauthorized devices (such as employees’ personal USB drives and external storage devices) will be directly blocked, and a custom prompt message (e.g., “Unauthorized USB drives are prohibited on this device”) can be set when blocking. At the same time, the software can flexibly set the read and write permissions of USB drives:​

• Read-only Mode: Allows reading data from the USB drive but prohibits writing, suitable for public computers (such as school computer labs) to prevent virus intrusion;​

• Write-only Mode: Allows writing data to the USB drive but prohibits reading, applicable to enterprise “data collection” scenarios (e.g., employees can only write reports to designated USB drives);​

• Complete Disabling: Completely blocks the read and write access of USB drives, suitable for high-risk scenarios such as industrial control and confidential office work.​

(2) Multi-device Collaborative Management and Log Tracing​

In addition to USB drives, USB Lock can extend management to CD/DVD drives (disabling reading/burning), mobile phones (prohibiting data transmission via USB connection), Bluetooth/infrared devices (blocking wireless data transmission), and even disable hardware interfaces such as serial ports (com ports) and parallel ports (lpt ports), forming an “all-external-device protection network”.​

Meanwhile, the software’s logging function can retain operation records for more than 6 months, including information such as “device access time, device number, operator (needs to be bound to a computer account), and file transmission path”. In case of data leakage, administrators can quickly locate the responsible person through logs, meeting the audit needs of enterprises.​

2. File Lock Pro: Achieving Precise Protection with “File Protection”​

(1) AES-256 Encryption and Deep Hiding​

File Lock Pro adopts the internationally recognized AES-256 encryption algorithm to perform “byte-by-byte encryption” on files in USB drives. Encrypted files cannot be opened in a conventional way (e.g., encrypting a .doc document into a .gfl format, which requires launching the software and entering a password to decrypt after double-clicking). Even if the USB drive is lost, third parties cannot crack the file content without the password.​

In addition, the software’s “deep hiding” function is far superior to the built-in hiding function of the system: hidden files are not only invisible in the regular file manager but also cannot be detected when the Windows “Show hidden files” option is enabled, when entering safe mode, or when using third-party file recovery tools. They can only be retrieved through the “hidden file management” function within the software, making it suitable for protecting highly sensitive personal privacy or enterprise core files.​

(2) File Anti-copy and Permission Locking​

It should be clearly stated that the “anti-copy” function of File Lock Pro does not prevent recording or printing but is achieved through “permission blocking”:​

• Undecrypted Files: Cannot perform operations such as copying, dragging, compressing, or renaming, and the system will prompt “insufficient permissions”;​

• Decrypted but Set to “Read-only” Files: Only allow viewing the content, and prohibit modification, deletion, or format conversion.​

For example, for a USB drive storing enterprise product design drawings, setting it to “encryption + read-only” mode can ensure that authorized employees can only view the drawings and cannot copy or tamper with them privately, avoiding the leakage of core technologies.​

II. Application Scenarios: Matching Needs to Maximize Protection Value​

The functional differences between the two software determine the boundaries of their application scenarios. The selection should be based on factors such as the user (enterprise/individual) and scenario risks (data leakage/device abuse). The specific adaptation situations are as follows:​

1. USB Lock: Suitable for Scenarios Requiring “Unified Management of External Devices”​

(1) Medium and Large Enterprise Office Scenarios​

• Core Requirement: Prevent employees from using personal USB drives to copy company data, avoid virus spread through external devices, and realize traceability of device operations.​

• Adaptation Logic: Through the “whitelist + read-write permission management”, only allow USB drives uniformly purchased by the enterprise to access, and prohibit the use of personal devices; the logging function can monitor the USB operations of departments such as sales and R&D to prevent the leakage of customer information and technical documents.​

• Case: An Internet company managed 500 office computers through USB Lock, added 200 enterprise-exclusive USB drives to the whitelist, and no data leakage incidents caused by USB drives occurred within 3 months.​

(2) Public Computer Locations​

• Core Requirement: Protect the resources in public devices from tampering or copying, and prevent users from accessing USB drives with viruses to affect device stability.​

• Adaptation Logic: Set the USB drive to “read-only mode” to allow users to read public resources (such as e-books in libraries) but prohibit data writing; at the same time, disable the CD/DVD burning function to avoid private copying of public resources.​

• Case: A university computer lab managed 100 computers through USB Lock, only opening the “read-only USB permission”. Within one semester, the virus infection rate of the computer lab decreased by 90%, and no leakage of public teaching materials occurred.​

(3) Industrial Control and Confidential Scenarios​

• Core Requirement: Block the intrusion of external devices into the industrial control system, and prevent malicious programs from disrupting the production process or stealing confidential data.​

• Adaptation Logic: Completely disable all external device ports such as USB interfaces, Bluetooth, and infrared, and only retain the connection permission of industrial-specific devices (such as PLC programmers) to build a “physical isolation protection”.​

• Case: An automobile factory installed USB Lock on 30 control computers of the production line, disabled all external devices, and effectively avoided production interruptions caused by industrial control virus intrusion through USB drives.​

2. File Lock Pro: Suitable for Scenarios Requiring “Precise Protection of Sensitive Files”​

(1) Enterprise Core Departments (R&D/Finance)​

• Core Requirement: Protect highly sensitive files such as technical patents and financial data, and prevent private copying by internal employees or theft by external personnel.​

• Adaptation Logic: Perform AES-256 encryption + deep hiding on R&D drawings, financial statements, and other files, and only allow authorized department heads to have the decryption password; at the same time, set “read-only permissions” to avoid file tampering.​

• Case: The R&D department of a medical device company encrypted 500 product design documents through File Lock Pro, and only 10 core personnel had the decryption permission, with no leakage of technical materials.​

(2) Personal Privacy Protection Scenarios​

• Core Requirement: Prevent personal privacy (such as family photos, medical records, and bank statements) from being viewed by others after the USB drive is lost.​

• Adaptation Logic: Encrypt and hide privacy files. Even if the USB drive is found, third parties cannot find the files or decrypt the content without the password.​

• Case: A user encrypted a USB drive storing personal medical reports through File Lock Pro. Later, the USB drive was accidentally lost, but the finder could not decrypt it, resulting in no privacy leakage.​

(3) Industry-compliant Storage Scenarios​

• Core Requirement: Meet the compliance requirements for data storage in industries such as medical care and finance (e.g., Data Security Law, Personal Financial Information Protection Technical Specifications), and ensure encrypted storage of sensitive data.​

• Adaptation Logic: Encrypt files such as patient medical records and customer financial information, and retain encryption records to meet the audit requirements of regulatory authorities.​

• Case: A hospital encrypted USB drives storing electronic patient medical records through File Lock Pro, which met the compliance requirements for encrypted data storage in the medical industry and passed the inspection of regulatory authorities.​

III. Selection Guide: Three Steps to Lock in the Most Suitable USB Drive Security Solution​

When facing the two software, there is no need to struggle with “which one is better”. You can make an accurate selection only by judging based on “protection goals, application scenarios, and management costs” in three steps:​

Step 1: Clarify the Core Protection Goal​

• If the goal is to “prevent unauthorized USB drive access and manage device operation behaviors”, prioritize USB Lock (it mainly solves the problem of “device abuse”);​

• If the goal is to “protect files in USB drives from being cracked, copied, or tampered with”, prioritize File Lock Pro (it mainly solves the problem of “file leakage”).​

Step 2: Match Practical Application Scenarios​

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Application Scenario​	Recommended Software​	Key Decision Points​
Enterprise-wide office device management​	USB Lock​	Needs to uniformly manage external devices of a large number of computers, and the logging function can meet audit needs​
Sensitive file protection for individuals/small teams​	File Lock Pro​	No device management permission is required, only precise file protection is needed, and it is easy to operate without professional technology​
Public computers (computer labs/libraries)​	USB Lock​	Needs to prevent users from abusing USB drives, and the read-only mode can balance “resource sharing” and “security protection”​
Compliant storage in medical/financial industries​	File Lock Pro​	AES-256 encryption meets industry compliance requirements, and deep hiding can protect customer/patient privacy​
Industrial control/confidential scenarios​	USB Lock​	Needs to disable all external devices to build physical isolation protection and avoid device intrusion risks​

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Step 3: Consider Management Costs and Operation Threshold​

• USB Lock: Requires administrators to perform unified configuration (such as setting whitelists and assigning permissions), suitable for enterprises with IT teams; the operation threshold is relatively high, and individual users may need learning costs.​

• File Lock Pro: No complex configuration is required, and individuals or small teams can use it directly (e.g., right-click to encrypt files); it can be used without administrator permissions, suitable for non-technical users.​

IV. Conclusion: Not “Either/Or”, but “Matching Needs”​

USB Lock and File Lock Pro are not opposites but protect USB drive security from different dimensions:​

• USB Lock is a “device doorman”, which builds a “macro security boundary” by managing external device access and operations;​

• File Lock Pro is a “file safe”, which realizes “micro-precise protection” by encrypting and hiding to lock file permissions.​

In practical applications, “collaborative protection” can even be realized: for example, an enterprise first manages USB drive access permissions through USB Lock, and then encrypts core files in USB drives through File Lock Pro, building a “device + file” dual security system to minimize the data security risks of USB drives.