International Travel & Secure Data Transport

Vanderbilt Export Compliance is pleased to announce that we now offer single-use flash drives for researchers traveling internationally. These flash drives are designed to help protect your data and technology during and after travel abroad.  Once it has been inserted into a device outside of VU’s network, do not reinsert it into any VU device.

Steps:

  1. Request a single-use flash drive using the International Travel Questionnaire.
  2. Prior to your departure, load all necessary materials onto the flash drive.
  3. Use abroad and return: once the flash drive has been inserted into an untrusted device, bring it back to campus without reinserting it into any additional VU devices.
  4. Return to VEC by confirming the pick-up time to ensure that it is taken to Vanderbilt University Information Technology (VUIT) for proper wiping of any potential malware or intellectual property.

This service is part of our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity and data security.  For any questions or additional information, please contact VEC@vanderbilt.edu.

  • Why are you providing single-use flash drives?

    Once outside the United States, you should NOT expect privacy. One way to ensure security is to only bring the data and technology necessary to conduct your business. In some cases, you might be able to bring a flash drive instead of a laptop.

    Moreover, if you plan to use an untrusted device, such as a host computer to give a presentation, it could contain malware. A single-use flash drive allows you to confidently present and know that potential malware will not transfer to your Vanderbilt or personal devices.

  • What situations warrant using a single-use flash drive?

    If you do not need a loaner laptop for your travel but you are giving a presentation at an untrusted machine, such as during a guest lecture or keynote address.

  • Can I use this in more than one place or can I request more than one flash drive?

    Because these flash drives are meant to be single use, you may request more than one flash drive when presenting at multiple locations.

  • Do you offer USB-A or USB-C drives?

    We have both USB-A and USB-C available.

  • How much data can I store on the drive?

    A 32 GB storage device can hold tens of thousands of documents, 10-20,000 photos, around 8,000 songs, 10-20 hours of standard-definition video, or 4-8 hours of high-definition video, with actual capacity varying by file type and quality.

  • I need more than a flash drive; how can I get a loaner laptop?

    To request a loaner laptop, submit a help request to VUIT.

  • What other advice do you to protect my electronic devices when traveling?

    To learn more about how to protect your electronic devices when traveling please visit the following website: https://it.vanderbilt.edu/security/IT-Security-Travel-Guidelines.pdf