Aegis Secure Key 3.0 - Another Upgrade from Apricorn. More Secure Than Fort Knox?
SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2015 | DIGITAL REVIEWS
I didn't realise that it was already more than three years ago that we reviewed the original Aegis Secure Key.
See our article here.
We highly recommended that little critter for its security in such a tiny USB key package.
Now it's a slightly bigger edition that Apricorn sent us the other day: this time around it sports USB 3.0, it's a bootable drive and it has much higher capacities.
So let's have a quick roundup of some of the main specifications and differences.
The main security feature set is very similar to what it was three years ago. And that Secure Key is still a current model in the Apricorn stable.
The older model maxes out at 30 GB and the new one starts at 30 and goes up to 240 GB.
With that much capacity it is absolutely necessary to have USB 3.0 speeds. To make a copy of your Outlook file doesn't take too long at around 20 Mb per second. Officially, the data transfer rate is 120MB/s but what actual speed you'll get depends on what sort of files and Read or Write mode.
The Aegis Secure Key 3.0 is now also bootable which makes sense as an additional feature.
The new model looks and feels a bit sturdier and the dimensions are just a little bit longer, wider and t
hicker. And slightly heavier of course too but hey, were talking about a USB key.
The encryption level is 256-bit AES-XTS as opposed to the earlier 256-bit AES-CBC. If you know what that means you probably need this key drive!
Finally, you can now enter two separate pins for Admin and User which is a mustfor corporations.
Conclusion
The Aegis Secure Key 3.0 is a great piece of kit and absolutely essential if you are travelling with critical data.
With a starting price of USD199 for the 30 GB model the higher capacity models are actually more value for money. 60GB for 229, 120 for 269 and 240GB for USD369.
Highly recommended!
Features:
FIPS 140-2 Level 3 Validated (pending)
Capacities of 30GB, 60GB, 120GB and 240GB
PIN activated 7-16 digits - Alphanumeric keypad use a memorable number or word for your PIN
Military grade AES 256-bit XTS hardware encryption
No software or drivers involved
OS and platform independent – compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux and any USB enabled host
Crypto-parameters protected with SHA-256 hashing
IP58 Certified: dust and water resistant durable aluminum housing
Epoxy-filled internal compartment encases all electronic components; tamper-evident and tamper-resistant
Supports Admin and User independent PINs
Auto-lock on USB port removal or after predetermined period of inactivity
Drive reset feature destroys data and allows redeployment of drive
Perfect option for companies that need to secure their data in an office environment, such as government or financial institutions
Programmable Brute Force Hack Defense Feature
Customization service available – contact Apricorn for further information
Guaranteed with 3 year warranty