14 DAY TRIAL // Hard disk drives are usually pretty straightforward products, platter-based storage devices meant to hold your files for a long time, but there are ways to make them more special, and Toshiba chose that of high security.
Which is to say, the latest hard disk drives from Toshiba both have the ability to encrypt the data stored on them.
And it's not just any encryption either, but a technology good enough to earn the drives U.S. Federal Information Processing Standard 140-2 certification (FIPS 140-2). It's the first time a Toshiba HDD was validated at this level actually.
That said, the new HDDs are called MQ01ABUxxxBW series and are mobile-grade thin 7mm drives with capacities of 320 GB and 500 GB.
They support ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment) Enhanced Secure Cryptographic Erase function and TCG-Opal SSC (Security Subsystem Class) protocols.
The Opal protocols have Toshiba wipe technology. Between that and the FIPS 140-2 module level validation, it should be safe to use the HDDs inside client-grade mobile and desktop computers, as long as security management applications are installed on them.
In case you weren't certain, the SED Toshiba HDDs do the encryption at hardware level, at full interface speeds.
Without the tech, you would have to rely on software programs to encrypt, which take a lot longer and aren't as secure.
As it is, the Toshiba MQ01ABUxxxBW HDD series do all they do without making the system run any slower than it should.
Finally, the SED encryption cannot be disabled, which makes sure that the employee using the computer won't inadvertently expose trade secrets to hacking attempts or accidental leaks in case said user tries to modify the drive settings.
As for the Wipe Technology, it ensures that data on the drive is cryptographically erased, with no chance of being recovered. It's a good failsafe when work PCs are retired from service, but the HDDs and the other parts are refurbished, or returned to a service provider.
Toshiba should already be shipping the MQ01ABUxxxBW HDDs, but its press release did not include pricing information. Probably because they're mostly aimed at business that barter for them based on shipment order and budget.
Retailers should get batches to provide for consumers though. You'll have to keep an eye on your local shops and retailers though, if you want one of them. Don't expect them to be cheap though. Security doesn't come for free, especially this level.