14 DAY TRIAL // Apricorn has officially launched a solid-state drive which, though it won't do well if submerged underwater, will bravely and steadfastly handle anything else thrown its way, even crushing force.
The name of the new SSD is Apricorn Aegis Padlock, and its feature set is broad, focused on both physical and software-related safety.
We'll take a look at the physical side of things first, since it's what will ultimately jump into view the moment the item comes out of the box.
The first noteworthy asset is the onboard keypad. A numpad to be exact, which will need you to input a PIN key in order to allow access to the information stored inside. It also prevents hardware and software key logging.
Also, the aluminum enclosure is crush-resistant, rated to 6,500 lbs / 2,948 kilos.
Moreover, the SSD is unaffected by high humidity and dust, as dictated by the needs of Government, Military and Law Enforcement.
All in all, the Apricorn Aegis Padlock SSD is a tough, solid piece of work. The USB cable is integrated for easy access.
That said, the software side of things is equally well refined, and we're not just talking about the AES-XTS 256-bit hardware encryption here, even if it is one of the most important parts of FIPS 140-2 validated security specifications (protects all data in real time).
The rugged SSD also has independent Admin and User pins (you'll always have to use that keypad) and Epoxy resin that destroys circuit board and encryption chip if tampered with.
It also auto-locks the data and has a Brute Force Attack Defense Mechanism: Crypto erase after 20 consecutive failed entries. Also, encryption keys are randomly generated.
All told, the drive of up to 480 GB and transfer speed of up to 230 MB/s (despite real-time encryption) is a very solid and reliable piece of work for any owners of Windows, Mac, Linux and Android PCs/phones/tablets/etc.
The Apricon Aegis Padlock SSDs of 120 GB, 240 GB and 480 GB come in prices of $429 / €429, $629 / €629 and $999 / €999, respectively. All have 3-year limited warranties.
Buyers might want to take into account those tests that involved 11 cryptographic levels (including design integrity, physical security and cryptographic key management). It should put to rest all concerns that the drive might not be as secure as Apricorn says it is. The only thing left is to make sure you never forget your access codes.