For most business workers nowadays, having a reliable portable storage solution is a must, as there are many important files that you require constant access to, and as such, you cannot have them stored just on a digital cloud alone. The main reason why is because if you lose internet access for some unexpected reason, than you’ll obviously lose access to those files, at least temporarily that is. What’s more is that you might want to have those same important files protected from being read or even used by random people in your office. With all that said, if you’re looking for a reliable portable storage solution that can offer you the highest level of data security to date, then the iStorage datAshur SD is exactly what you’ve been hoping to find.
The iStorage datAshur SD is a Pin-authenticated and hardware-encrypted USB-C flash drive that utilizes removable iStorage microSD Cards, ultimately reading their stored data in the most secure way to date.
Not only is this state-of-the-art USB flash drive very easy to use, but is also extremely secure, as it was developed by iStorage, an award-winning and trusted global leader of PIN authenticated, hardware encrypted data storage and cloud encryption solutions.
Rather than the classic USB flash-drive design of incorporating fixed memory, iStorage’s brand new datAshur SD is uniquely designed with an integrated microSD Card slot that enables users this data-secure USB-C flash drive with as many iStorage microSD Cards as they desire, and these can even vary in storage capacity as users require.
This ultimately offers you a unique, ultra-secure and cost-effective data storage solution that allows you to securely share and scale unlimited encrypted data for any purposes, whether those are business-related or not.
So, let’s have a look at everything that the iStorage datAshur SD has to offer you.
DESIGN & SPECS
Starting with the datAshur SD’s size, this Pin-authenticated and hardware-encrypted USB-C flash drive comes at a reasonably compact size, and it is also extremely lightweight, all while also featuring a sleek, minimalist and ultra-modern design.
Moreover, the datAshur SD also features an extremely durable construction, with its body / housing being completely made of ruggedizsed extruded aluminum. In addition, the flash drive itself also comes together with a dedicated Protective Sleeve.
This protective design makes the flash drive both shock-proof and crush-proof, with it being capable of withstanding the weight of a 2.7-ton vehicle.
What’s more is that both the flash drive itself and its protective sleeve also come accompanied by a IP68 Waterproof Rating that ultimately make this hardware-encrypted USB-C flash drive rated to be both water- and dust-resistant, meaning that it is certified to withstand dust, dirt, sand, as well as to survive being submerged in 4.92 ft. (1.5 m) of water for a maximum of 30 minutes.
In addition to all of that, the datAshur SD also comes equipped with a wear-resistant onboard keypad that comes covered with a layer of polymer coating that protects the keys and hides key usage to avoid tipping off a potential hacker to commonly used keys.
More importantly, and still within the idea of protection and durability, the iStorage datAshur SD combines its ultra-durable construction with a FIPS 140-3 (U.S. government computer security cryptographic modules standard) Level 3 compliant, tamper-proof and tamper-evident design.
To be a little more specific, all of the internal components used in this hardware-encrypted USB-C flash drive come completely covered by a layer of super tough epoxy resin, which is virtually impossible to remove without causing permanent damage to the components.
That said, if the datAshur SD is ever breached, its tamper-evident design will provide you with visible evidence that tampering has occurred.
As said before, the datAshur SD is a hardware-encrypted USB-C flash drive, and as such, it also boasts an On-device Crypto-chip to have all of its data encrypted using FIPS PUB 197 validated, 100% real-time military grade AES-XTS 256-bit Hardware Encryption.
In other words, this hardware-encrypted USB-C flash drive incorporates a secure microprocessor that is Common Criteria EAL 5+ certified. This basically enhances the drive’s data-security through true random number generation and built-in cryptography, thus making its data encryption key protected by FIPS and Common Criteria validated wrapping algorithms to ultimately ensure that that same data encryption key is securely stored on the drive’s secure microprocessor, in a completely separate way from a user’s personal data (meaning the files stored on the drive’s dedicated microSD Storage Card (or Cards)).
CONNECTIVITY & DATA TRANSFER SPEEDS
For its connectivity method, the iStorage datAshur SD is designed to work like a standard USB-C flash drive, as it comes equipped with a SuperSpeed USB-C 3.2 (Gen 1) Connector Interface, which even makes the datAshur SD backwards compatible with older USB ports.
In addition, the datAshur SD also comes with an included USB-C to USB-A Adapter for using it with standard USB-A Connetion ports.
Now, its SuperSpeed USB-C 3.2 Connector Interface ultimately gives this hardware-encrypted USB-C Flash Drive ultra-fast transfer speeds, both for reading as well as writing data.
On that note, know that the datAshur SD features a reading speed that can go up to 100MB/s, and a writing speed that can go as high as 95MB/s.
CAPACITY
For its storage capacity, the iStorage datAshur SD can ultimately offer its users an unlimited storage capacity, because, and as said before, this hardware-encrypted USB-C flash drive utilizes removable iStorage microSD Cards for its data-storage via its microSD Card Slot.
As such, these iStorage microSD Cards can then have their stored data read in the most secure way possible thanks to the datAshur SD’s hardware-encryption algorithms.
This ultimately allows users to use their datAshur SD drive with as many iStorage microSD Cards as they require, and these can even vary in storage-capacity values, thus ensuring an unlimited and economical encrypted data storage solution for all purposes, business-related or not.
For the company’s iStorage microSD Cards, the currently available capacities are: 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB.
BATTERY
For its power, this hardware-encrypted USB-C flash drive uses a 3.7V Lithium-ion rechargable battery, which ultimately offers you endless hours of use, which is great whenever laptop users do not have a power-source for their laptop near-by.
OTHER NOTABLE FEATURES
Independent User & Admin Pins
To unlock the datAshur SD, the first thing users require to do is to press the “key” button from the flash drive’s onboard keypad.
The red, green, and blue LEDs will flash together, and then the red LED will blink. After that, users need to enter their user PIN within 10 seconds – the factory default PIN is set to 1-1-2-2-3-3-4-4.
After entering the PIN, users simply need to press the “key” button once again. The red LED will then light up, switching to the green LED after a couple of seconds.
After following these steps, users have 30 seconds to connect their datAshur SD hardware-encrypted USB-C flash drive to their device (PC or laptop).
Users can also configure their own unique 7-15-digit PIN. There are two different PINs, and those are the Independent User PIN and the Admin PIN.
All this ultimately makes the iStorage datAshur SD perfect for corporate and government deployment. If the user forgets their PIN, the encrypted flash drive can be unlocked by the admin PIN, and the admin can then allow the user to set a new PIN.
User PIN Enrolment
Additionally, the Admin can also set a restriction policy for the drive’s current User PIN. This includes setting the minimum length of the PIN, as well as requiring the input of one or more “Special Characters”. The “Special Character” functions as “SHIFT + digit”.
One-time User Recovery PIN
Admins also have the option to set-up a One-time User Recovery PIN, which can only be configured by the Admin User.
This One-time User Recovery PIN can be extremely useful in situations where a standard user would end up forgetting their Independent User PIN, thus allowing them to unlock the device and set a new Independent User PIN for themselves.
READING MODES – Read-Only Mode & Dual Mode (Read & Write)
On top of everything both the Admin and standard users can also configure the datAshur SD as a Read Only (meaning data-write protected) device. If configured by the Admin, the feature cannot be modified or disabled by a standard user, which basically allows the Admin to pre-provision a device with pre-loaded content as a read-only drive for any potential standard user.
Alternatively, an Admin user can choose to have their datAshur SD flash drive working in Dual Mode, meaning having it enabled for both Data-Reading and Data-Writing operations.
Auto-Lock
The datAshur SD also features an Auto-Lock function that automatically locks the drive when having it unplugged from its host computer or when power to its current USB port is turned Off.
This function can also be set to automatically lock when having the drive’s interaction window (on your PC’s user interface) idle after a predetermined length of time.
Self-Destruct PIN
Admin users can also pre-program their datAshur SD with a Self-Destruct PIN, which once entered, the drive’s encryption key and all of its currently configured Admin and User PINs are deleted rendering the drive unable to then decrypt data stored on any iStorage microSD Cards that were encrypted with the same drive.
Drive Reset
This hardware-encrypted flash drive also boasts a Drive Reset function, which once enabled, deletes its encryption key, all Admin and User PINs and also renders all data as lost forever.
The device can then be redeployed as you did the first time you’ve used it, which randomly generates a new encrypted encryption key. This process can be repeated as many times as required.
Bootable Functionality
Another great feature from this hardware-encrypted USB-C flash drive is that the datAshur SD also boasts a Bootable functionality.
This is great for specific cases where Admin users require their datAshur SD to remain unlocked during USB port re-enumeration, such as during a reboot process or passing the device through a virtual machine, as it allows users to install an OS on their datAshur SD and boot directly from it.
OS & Host Independent – Compatible with any Host and Embedded Systems
Lastly, since the datAshur SD is both OS and platform independent, this means that no software is required to use, thus making this encrypted flash drive work on any device that features a USB port, whether that’s MS Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Chrome, Thin Clients, Zero Clients, Embedded Systems, Citrix and VMware.
Whitelisting on Networks
Last of all, this hardware-encrypted flash drive can be configured with a unique VID/PID and internal/external serial number with a barcode, thus allowing for an easy integration into standard end-point management software (white-listing), ultimately making it fairly easy to meet internal corporate requirements.
HOW TO USE?
As said at the start of the article, using this hardware-encrypted USB-C flash drive is extremely easy. All you have to do is insert your iStorage microSD Card into the datAshur SD microSD Card slot and simply enter your 8-64 digit PIN to authenticate and use as a normal flash drive.
When the drive is locked, all data on the iStorage microSD card is encrypted (full disk encryption) by using the flash driver’s AES-XTS 256-bit Hardware Encryption.
THE DESKTOP COMPANION APP – The iStorage datAshur SD KeyWriter Software
Users can also choose to use the company’s patented iStorage datAshur SD KeyWriter Software, which allows you to clone multiple datAshur SD flash drives with the same encrypted encryption key to enable a secondary drive as a backup, while also allowing for organizations to share encrypted iStorage microSD Cards with as many authorised users of cloned datAshur SD drives as required, all without ever compromising on data security.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The iStorage datAshur SD is a Pin-authenticated and hardware-encrypted USB-C flash drive that utilizes removable iStorage microSD Cards, ultimately reading their stored data in the most secure way to date.
Not only is this state-of-the-art USB flash drive very easy to use, but is also extremely secure. Rather than the classic USB flash-drive design of incorporating fixed memory, iStorage’s brand new datAshur SD is uniquely designed with an integrated microSD Card slot that enables users this data-secure USB-C flash drive with as many iStorage microSD Cards as they desire, and these can even vary in storage capacity as users require.
This ultimately offers you a unique, ultra-secure and cost-effective data storage solution that allows you to securely share and scale unlimited encrypted data for any purposes, whether those are business-related or not.
If you’re interested in buying it, the datAshur SD alone will cost you just $90. Then, for its accompanying iStorage microSD Card (or Cards), prices vary from just $33 for a 32GB-capacity microSD Card up to $390 for a 1TB-capacity microSD Card. You can order yours online right now, directly from iStorage’s official USA shopping page.
