USB flash drives are still surprisingly common in business environments. Despite all the talk about cloud storage, plenty of companies continue to move sensitive files around using small removable drives. The problem, of course, is security. Lose a regular flash drive and whoever finds it may have access to everything on it.
That is where encrypted drives come in. Kingston has introduced the IronKey Locker+ 50 G2, a new hardware-encrypted USB flash drive designed to keep data protected even if the device ends up in the wrong hands.
The drive uses XTS-AES 256-bit hardware encryption and carries FIPS 197 certification from a NIST authorized lab. In other words, the encryption meets federal standards that are widely trusted for protecting sensitive information. Because the encryption is handled directly on the device, the protection does not rely on whatever computer the drive happens to be plugged into.
Kingston says the IronKey Locker+ 50 G2 also includes safeguards against several types of attacks. The firmware is digitally signed to help prevent BadUSB exploits, and the drive includes brute force password protection. If the wrong password is entered too many times, the device locks access. Repeated incorrect admin attempts will trigger a crypto erase, wiping the data entirely.
The password system is fairly flexible too. Users can choose between a complex password mode and a passphrase mode. Complex passwords range from six to sixteen characters and must include multiple character types. Passphrases can be longer and easier to remember, anywhere from ten to sixty four characters, which could be a sentence, a list of words, or something similar.
Kingston also added a small but practical feature to reduce login mistakes. An optional “eye” icon can reveal the typed password while entering it. That may sound simple, but anyone who has mistyped a hidden password multiple times knows how frustrating that can be.
To further protect credentials, the drive includes a virtual keyboard designed to reduce the risk of keyloggers or screen capture tools intercepting passwords during entry. The casing itself has an anti fingerprint coating as well, which Kingston says helps keep the device looking clean and resistant to scratches.
On the hardware side, the drive connects using USB Type-A and supports USB 3.2 Gen 1 speeds. Kingston lists read speeds of up to 145MB/s and write speeds up to 115MB/s. That is not record breaking performance, but it is plenty fast for the kinds of document transfers most people will use it for.
Capacity options range from 32GB up to 256GB, which should cover most typical use cases for secure portable storage.
Another nice touch is that the drive does not require additional software installation. Kingston says it works with both Windows and macOS systems right out of the box, making it easier to use across different computers.
Encrypted USB drives may not be the most exciting technology in the world, but they remain useful. Plenty of organizations still rely on removable storage for transferring files between secure systems, and having hardware encryption built directly into the drive adds a layer of protection that ordinary flash drives simply cannot provide.
The Kingston IronKey Locker+ 50 G2 will be offered in 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB capacities and is backed by a five year limited warranty along with free technical support.
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