The range of secure USB drives is not exactly wide, and what little we find on the market is aimed directly at the corporate world. However, security is not exclusive to companies and offices. Toshiba has begun selling a new USB drive aimed at homes and businesses with hardware-based 256-bit AES encryption and a mini keypad that lets you assign a PIN number for added protection.
Anyone who considers a USB drive a secure storage medium needs to reevaluate that idea. Recovering deleted information from a USB drive is as easy as from a hard drive (or even easier), and in general, USB drives do not have any active protection method. After all, an extra layer of security goes against the ease of use expected from such an accessory. Even so, there are solutions that can encrypt the content or create hidden partitions, two very interesting methods that keep our data away from prying eyes. The problem is that both methods tend to be a bit homemade, meaning the user has to manage them. Actually, few users accept that responsibility, and the rest want factory-built, robust and simple solutions.
Toshiba's new encrypted USB drive
Toshiba seems willing to cover those needs with a new USB drive that was recently put on sale. Its capacity ranges from 4 to 32 gigabytes, the chosen interface is USB 2.0 (27 MB/s read and 24 MB/s write in the best case), it has an aluminum casing and is resistant to liquids, but these specifications are not the most important thing. First, the new Toshiba USB drive includes hardware-based 256-bit AES encryption, and second, it comes with a small keypad that lets users register a PIN number. According to the official text, the PIN entry is done before connecting the drive to a USB port, and a rechargeable lithium battery helps retain the configuration. If someone enters an incorrect code ten times, the protection system on the drive will make the stored information impossible to recover.
Toshiba offers a three-year warranty on the drive, and as for its price, the four-gigabyte model is sold under a special offer of 60 dollars, while the larger 32 GB option demands an investment of 180 dollars. The discounts will only be available until tomorrow, so anyone interested should hurry. Some might think the integrated keypad is an exaggeration on Toshiba's part, but we have said it before on previous occasions: in computer security, paranoia works.
Official site: http://www.toshiba.com/us/accessories/USB-2.0-Encrypted/USB-Flash-Drives/4GB/PFU004D-1BEK
