Actually, I've plugged a U3 equipped drive into Linux machines and had it come up and autoplay. I've told U3 NOT to autorun though, beucase it has trouble with Suse unmounting it and it is lags in XP it wastes more time than I want if all I need to do is grab a 300k file off it.

As for securing a computer, that's part of my job. And here is what I tell everyone I work with- don't worry, it WILL be compromised. So far I haven't seen an autorun attack that can be put on a CD or a flashdrive, but that doesn't mean that there won't be one- I just have to question how useful it would be in a well configured enviroment. Although I will say, if I'm brought in unconcious, with dual compounded femurs and various other physical insults, I'm not all that concerned that you might find a semi-naughty picture of my GF on there, but I also don't keep that kind of thing on a thumb, much less my back account or credit card numbers.

I do the same thing with a Knoppix CD in my ditch kit, although I'm thinking about switching over to a mini-DVD due the more effective use of space. I figure in 18 months or so I'll make the switch. But that isn't an EDC, while the ZapTag is ment to be. Again, I wouldn't put anything special on there, which is why I have my questions as to making it a 256- 128MB would be fine, and thats only becuase I don't know if anyone is still set up to make a 64MB. (U3 isn't very skinny or I'd say a 32 actually, and I can only assume that is what they are using for thier launcher- SanDisk helped develop it.)

And I would say security should be dynamic. In the case you make, while I'm at a greater danger from ID theft at that point, I'm also not in a position to worry as much about it. I have zero doubt that there weren't people going through houses after Katrina looking for things with ID information on them, along with valubles, and I accept that if I'm ever in such a situation, my personal data is compromised.