ViaSat UK Releases Encrypted Portable USB Flash Drives

Flash drives don't often get most recognized for their security capabilities, but this is precisely what happened to the Eclypt Nano, which ViaSat UK just released.

Portable storage devices are very handy things, but they aren't precisely very widespread among government agencies and some corporations.

That is, the common flash drive would never be used by someone with any degree of concern for the security of their data.

In other words, for a flash drive, or any other storage device, to become a viable tool in such segments, it has to prove it can keep data safe in case the drive falls into the wrong hands or the wrong environment, so to speak.

Old movie and literature cliche aside, ViaSat UK is the company that is now getting some recognition, having invented the as yet un-priced Eclypt Nano.

This USB drive is both physically and virtually resilient, as well as stubborn, to the point where it earned the CESG (Communications-Electronics Security Group) certification for the 'top secret' level.

“The greatest threat to data isn't from external attacks or sabotage. It comes from the belief that lost data is something that happens to other people,” said Chris McIntosh, CEO of ViaSat UK.

“Previously, USB drives could only protect data up to a ‘restricted' level; now organisations can transfer, share and use ‘top secret'-rated data out in the field, safe in the knowledge that it is protected. Even if, or rather when, data is lost, organisations can have peace of mind that it is protected by the strongest security available.”

For those who want the specifics about the physical side of the equation, the ViaSat Eclypt Nano is supposed to be unbreakable (oar as close as it gets), waterproof and compliant with the MIL-STD-810G standard.

This is the criteria used by the US Department of Defense for when it wants to be sure that a drive can survive pressure, humidity, temperatures, impact and vibration to extremes.