One of the biggest security holes for data transfers? Insufficiently shielded USB flash drives! The Californian storage giant Kingston now delivers the multi-hardened mini flash memory of the “private armored safe” category with multi-password option and anti-brute force strategy.
The Kingston IronKey Vault Privacy 50 (VP50) features hardware-based XTS-AES 256-bit encryption and is FIPS-197 certified. It supports admin, user, and one-time recovery passwords. The multiple password option allows access to stored data in case one of them is forgotten.
The traditional “Complex” mode allows passwords of six to 16 characters and three of four character sets. The “Passphrase” mode allows the use of a numeric PIN, a phrase, a list of words, or even a memorable mnemonic or song lyric of up to 64 characters.
Ten attempts to shutdown
The VP50 protects against brute force attacks by locking user or one-time recovery passwords after ten invalid entries in a row. The drive is finally cryptographically wiped if, in addition, the admin password is entered incorrectly ten times in a row.
Malware intrusion into the USB tank is prevented, provided the administrator and user set a synchronous forced write protection mode or session-based write protection for the drive. In addition, the stick can be customized with a product ID for inclusion in standard endpoint management software.
User-friendly options
“Business-grade data security,” Kingston’s European director Christian Marhöfer calls it. “We’ve added some of the most requested features from our customers to not only protect 100 percent of stored data but also make the drive more user-friendly.”
The Kingston IronKey Vault Privacy 50 is available in two variants:
- The USB 3.2 Gen1 version provides read and write speeds of 250 and 180 megabytes per second, respectively, and comes in storage capacities ranging from 8 to 128 gigabytes.
- The variant with a USB 2.0 interface allows 30 MB in reading and 20 MB in write mode. The capacities range from 8 to 256 GB.
The Type-A memory is compatible from USB 3.2 downwards, survives one meter of deep pressure underwater, and can be used from zero to 60 degrees Celsius. It comes with a five-year limited warranty and free technical support.
