INTRODUCTION

   Whenever i happen to mention hardware encrypted hard drives (or secure drives) to people most of them start talking about industrial espionage and government agencies (pretty certain movies have something to do with this) and even though these are indeed two areas where such drives are used in large numbers due to their sensitive "nature" those are clearly not the only ones. For example, i have friends who work as photographers, 3D animators and even teachers who use such drives and in fact i do too (and 3 not just 1) so clearly such drives can be extremely useful to most people out there. SECUREDATA has released numerous portable encrypted drives over the years (both PIN and Bluetooth authenticated) and today with me I’ve got yet another popular model, the SECUREDRIVE KP 4TB.

   SECUREDATA, Inc. is a privately held company, headquartered in California, USA. SecureData offers a range of tailored high-level data protection capabilities through a set of services and products. These include hardware encrypted portable storage devices, backup solutions, file repair software, data recovery, and digital forensics services to help clients achieve their security objectives. SecureData has a presence through its partners in North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Asia, and South America, and serves companies and organizations in regulated industries, such as government, financial services, military, law enforcement, legal, healthcare, and education. More information regarding the SECUREDATA products line can be found at securedrive.com.

   Even though the SECUREDRIVE KP (KP stands for keypad) 4TB model which i have here with me today is based on the Toshiba MQ04ABB400 (SATA III/5400RPM/128MB Cache) 2.5" hard disk drive and is also available in 500GB/1TB/2TB/5TB capacities SECUREDATA also has 2.5" SSD versions under the same product line available in 250GB/500GB/1TB/2TB/4TB/8TB capacities. This is actually the 2nd SECUREDRIVE KP model to arrive in the lab and so once again we have an OS independent portable encrypted drive packing numerous advanced features like FIPS 140-2 Level 3 validated AES-XTS 256-bit full drive hardware encryption (GDPR & HIPAA compliant), brute-force anti-hacking protection via dedicated microprocessor (all data is erased after the wrong password is entered a total of 10 times), interior covered in tough epoxy resin (makes it nearly impossible to recover components), inactivity autolock for further increased data security (can be preset between 1 and 60 minutes), read only mode and a top keypad featuring special wear-resistant coating (prevents people from discovering which keys are being used more). Finally, as with previous models SECUREDATA covers the entire SECUREDRIVE KP line with a 2 year limited warranty.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

SECUREDRIVE has changed the package of their drives and so instead of a clear plastic box we see a cardboard one that has a large product picture at the front right over the included capacity.

The main product features are listed on the right side of the box while on the left side SECUREDRIVE showcases just how easy it is to use the drive.

The main features, bundle contents and a few words about the drive are placed at the rear of the box right under a picture of the complete bundle.

Once you open the box you will find a carrying/storage case placed in a formed foam piece.

Along with the SECUREDRIVE KP and its storage/carrying case the bundle also contains an USB 3.0 host to USB-C cable, USB 3.0 host to USB-A cable and password input/change instructions paper.

THE SECUREDRIVE KP 4TB

The carrying/storage case is the biggest change between the past and present SECUREDRIVE models and as you can see it has enough room inside for everything.

Measuring 127mm in length, 77mm in width and 20.5mm in thickness the SECUREDRIVE KP 4TB is far from the most compact portable HDD in the market today.

Still when placed right next to the DiskAshur PRO2 4TB by iStorage the SECUREDRIVE KP 4TB is actually smaller.

Unlike other brands SECUREDATA is using soft rubber keys for their keypad models.

Three small activity LEDs are located at the top of the drive (red for when the drive is locked and green when unlocked).

SECUREDATA has placed their logo at the front of the aluminum/plastic enclosure and the USB 3.0 host port at the rear.

A large sticker placed at the base of the drive showcases the three easy steps required to unlock it.

The Toshiba MQ04ABB400 (SATA III/5400RPM/128MB Cache) 2.5" hard disk drive used may not be the fastest around but it should suffice.

TEST BED

TESTING METHODOLOGY

   Keeping things simple so even people new in the field of computers can understand will always be our way so once again our testing procedure is almost exactly the same as the one, we use with 2.5/3.5" external docking stations. This time however we will be comparing the product at hand with a wide range of 2.5" portable drives and standalone 2.5" enclosures all of which were benched using a HGST 7K750 SATA II hard disk drive. Our standard selection of benchmark suites is used here as well including the famous HD Tach RW (Long Bench 32mb Zones), HD Tune Pro (read/write -when possible- speeds), Sisoftware Sandra Pro (Read/Write - also when possible- speeds), AIDA64 (Linear Read/Random Read), Crystal Disk Mark x64 (100MB/1000MB read/write speeds) and finally the quite outdated yet highly reliable ATTO 2.47 (Max Read/Max Write speeds). Every test is repeated for a total of 6 times and after that the average (not peak) numbers are recorded into the charts.

   As always, every test was performed in a fresh installation of Microsoft Windows 10 Pro with every update installed up to the date of this review.

TEST RESULTS - AIDA64 / ATTO

TEST RESULTS - HD TACH RW / HD TUNE PRO

TEST RESULTS - SISOFTWARE SANDRA PRO / CRYSTAL DISK MARK X64

TEST RESULTS – TEMPERATURES

CONCLUSION

   Just like every other portable encrypted drive the SECUREDRIVE KP 4TB by SECUREDATA might not offer the best read & write speeds but it actually does very well (for a portable HDD) as you can easily tell just by looking at the charts. Yes, the 4/5TB HDD variants are somewhat thicker compared to all other models but still thinner when compared to the equivalent model by iStorage. In regards to its keypad as some of you already know I prefer that type over Bluetooth models so nothing wrong here. Typically, I used several programs to try and force my way to the contents of the drive but since I’m not really a hacker I can’t vouch for its abilities (that’s something its certifications are meant to do). Finally, the addition of a carrying/storage case was a very good surprise, one which I hope SECUREDATA never stops.

   With a current price tag set at USD389.83 inside the USA (directly from SECUREDATA) the SECUREDRIVE KP 4TB HDD model is actually a lot more affordable than I was expecting (especially considering that the SSD variant costs almost 3 times as much). Unfortunately, just like with past models by SECUREDATA this too is not available on this side of the Atlantic (surprisingly enough 1/2TB versions are) so potential buyers should use the USA link as well. At the end of the day the SECUREDRIVE KP 4TB Portable HDD by SECUREDATA delivers as advertised and for that it gets the Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality (Aluminum Enclosure)
- PIN Authentication
- Security Measures (AES-XTS 256-bit Hardware Encryption/Crypto Chip/Interior Epoxy Layer)
- Good Performance (For A Portable HDD)
- HDD & SSD Models
- Carrying / Storage Case
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- 2 Year Limited Warranty (Rival Products Offer More)
- Availability Outside The USA