The IronKey Flash Drive: Ultra-Secure Data Storage, Doesn't Open Chastity Belts, Self-Destructs

In our ultra-technological society, data (and especially very sensitive documents) have become a very valuable commodity and thus the target of many criminals (usually known as hackers, but not necessarily). This is the reason why most users who work with very important documents on a daily basis are generally looking for portable data storage devices that provide very high levels of security and that's exactly the type of device we'll talk about as follows, namely the IronKey, a flash drive that addresses most of the possible security threats these storage solutions might be subjected to (actually, it acts like a chastity belt that keeps the user's data untouched).

Statistically speaking, security threats can be largely divided into two separate categories, namely physical attacks (attempts of stealing the data stored onto the drive by various physical means, including the removal of flash chips or the use of an electron microscope for scanning the onboard memory) and software attacks (ranging from various password breaking programs to malicious software to forced decryption attempts). However, the people from IronKey have designed their drive in order to mitigate both types of threats, either physical or virtual.

The first line of defense is, obviously, the one raised against possible physical attacks. Thus, the IronKey drive is encased in a rugged metal housing that can really take a beating and even sports a special serial number imprinted on the back (in order to prevent forgery attempts). Moreover, the interior is filled solid with an epoxy-based potting compound, which seals in all the components and prevents the IronKey from being crushed, but also deters the removal of memory chips (which will most likely be destroyed in the process).

However, the most important security component of the IronKey is not its case, but its built-in Cryptochip. This small piece of hardware has the purpose of constantly encrypting the data stored onto the drive using AES CBC-mode encryption (hardware encryption keys), thus making it a very tough nut to crack even by expert hackers. Moreover, the area where the Cryptochip is located is protected with thin-film metal shielding, the device being actually able to protect itself against intrusive attacks by initiating a self-destruct procedure.

Quite obviously, the device also sports password protection and secure browsing and access functions and is available in 3 models, providing 1, 2 and 4 GB of storage space, respectively. As for the retail price, the IronKey is, obviously, significantly more expensive than other flash drives (150 US dollars for the 4 GB version), but, after all, it's all worth it, considering the level of safety it can provide.

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