Corsair's Padlock 2 Flash Drive Has 256-Bit Hardware Encryption

Seeing how all levels of the IT industry are relying more and more on digitally stored data, Corsair has been working on a solution meant to provide any and all end-users with an easy-to-use way of transporting sensitive files without any concerns regarding the security of the stored information. Known as the Corsair Padlock 2, the new USB flash drive from the hardware maker employs the 256-bit hardware data encryption.

While many secure USB flash drives require the typing of a password once they are plugged into the USB port, the Padlock 2 uses a more direct way to allow and deny access to the stored data. In fact, the device comes with a PIN keypad that is directly integrated into it.

Entering the end-user's personal identification number, which can be a password of four to ten digits, unlocks the data so that it can be used with PCs and even game consoles. In addition, the product is designed with a ruggedized rubber housing similar to the ones employed by the Corsair Flash Voyager-series drives. This casing confers extra durability upon the storage unit.

While the total storage capacity of the drive is not monumental, namely of 8GB, it is more than enough to safely transport any sort of sensitive documents, videos, photos or audio files. The device can operate at temperatures of 0°C to 40°C and is compatible with a variety of operating systems. The list of supported OSs includes Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7, as well as Linux Kernel 2.4.2 and higher and Mac OS X v9.x and above.

The Padlock 2 is plug-and-play compatible and will work with both USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 interfaces. It is accompanied by a ten-year warranty and can be found listed with a price tag of $59, which is the equivalent of 42 Euro.