INTRODUCTION

   In the last 6 months alone, I’ve had not 1 but 4 cases of friends and colleagues who had sensitive data stolen from them just because they chose to store them inside plain (non-encryption) portable drives. Yes, all of them had backups but that data is now forever available to those who took them, if not many more if they decide to share or sell them. This is why I’ve always advised people with sensitive data to store them in hardware-encrypted portable drives and although I’m fully aware of the fact that they cost more compared to regular models (quite a bit more in some cases) at the end of the day i think the purchase of such a drive is a worthy investment. iStorage is without doubt among the leading manufacturers of hardware encrypted external drives in the world (probably the leading one in the EU) and so since many of you asked today with me i have their DiskAshur PRO2 4TB Pin Authenticated Portable SSD.

   iStorage is the trusted global leader of award-winning, PIN authenticated, hardware encrypted portable data storage & cloud encryption devices. iStorage offers the most innovative range of products to securely encrypt, store and protect data to military standards; safeguarding valuable and sensitive data to ensure compliance with stringent regulations and directives such as GDPR, HIPAA, SOX, NRC, GLB and DHS Initiatives. Founded in London, England in 2009 by John Michael, a serial entrepreneur, with 32 years’ experience within the IT Industry, iStorage has fast become recognised as a leading innovator and supplier of ultra-secure, easy to use and affordable portable data storage devices.

   This is the 3rd DiskAshur PRO2 model to reach our lab and just like the other two models we’re yet again talking about a tamper-proof (protected against brute attacks, external tamper, bypass laser attacks and fault injections) PIN authenticated ((platform/device independent / 7-15 digit codes) USB 3.1 portable drive (currently available in 500GB/1TB/2TB/3TB/4TB/5TB for the HDD line and 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB/4TB/8TB for the SSD line) that features real-time military grade FIPS PUB 197 validated AES-XTS 256-bit hardware encryption (FIPS 140-2 Level 2/NCSC CPA/NLNCSA BSPA/NATO Restricted Certified) and an built-in dedicated hardware based secure microprocessor (Common Criteria EAL4+ ready - defends the drive against external tamper, bypass laser attacks and fault injections). Other safety/security measures include an epoxy covered keypad (makes it virtually impossible for people to tell which have been used), super tough epoxy resin layer applied onto the interior hardware components (virtually impossible to remove without causing severe damage) and an IP56 certified enclosure (dust and water resistant). Last time we had a DiskAshur PRO2 Portable SSD model it was based on the ADATA SU800 2.5” SSD (Silicon Motion SM2258 NAND controller with 3D TLC NAND), todays model however is based on the Samsung 860 QVO 2.5” SSD (Samsung MJX NAND controller with V-NAND).