Aegis Fortress - USB 3.0

On-the-Fly 100% Hardware-Based Encryption | FIPS 140-2 Level 2 Validated Encryption | Software-Free Setup and Operation | Cross-Platform Compatible | Host-Free Onboard Keypad Authentication
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A25-3PL256F
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  • Aegis Fortress - USB 3.0
  • Aegis Fortress - USB 3.0
  • Aegis Fortress - USB 3.0
  • Aegis Fortress - USB 3.0
  • Aegis Fortress - USB 3.0
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SKU:
A25-3PL256F
Designed and Assembled in California USA
*FREE GROUND SHIPPING WITH ORDERS OF $200.00 OR MORE (Continental U.S. only)
For Orders Shipping outside of the United States, checkout totals will not include taxes and duties
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Rugged, Portable Data Security with FIPS 140-2 level 2 Validated Encryption Module: Aegis Fortress

Tough on the outside, FIPS validated HDD encryption on the inside, and pocket-sized portability to safely carry your data anywhere you go. Available in a wide variety of storage capacities in both HDD and high speed SSD models. The Aegis Fortress is Software-Free, 100% hardware-based 256-bit AES XTS encrypted, onboard keypad PIN authenticated, with ultra-fast USB 3.1 (3.0) data transfer speeds. All Data is encrypted on the fly and all PINs and Data remain encrypted while the drive is at rest. Completely cross-platform compatible and OS agnostic; the Aegis Fortress thrives with Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, and Chrome. It also thrives where software-authenticated encrypted devices can't function, such as embedded systems and equipment in possession of a powered USB port and storage file system but no keyboard. All internal componentry is protected from physical tampering with a layer of hardened epoxy, and the firmware is locked down to prevent any modifications making it impervious to malware attacks such as BadUSB.

Featuring AegisWare™

The heart and soul of every Apricorn Secure Device, AegisWare is our patent-protected firmware combined with the industry’s most advanced feature set.

FIPS 140-2 Level 2 Inside

Meets the U.S. government standards for information technology and computer security. NIST FIPS 140 is the cryptography standard program required by the US federal government for protection of sensitive data.

The Aegis Fortress’s FIPS 140-2 validation covers 11 areas of its cryptographic security system, including physical security, cryptographic key management and design integrity. The Aegis Fortress’s FIPS 140-2 Level 2 HDD encryption validation encompasses both the Fortress’s physical tamper-resistant features as well as its identity-based authentication. Tested and validated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for use by the Federal governments of the USA, Canada and others, the Aegis Fortress Drive is based on Apricorn’s FIPS 140-2 Level 2 validated encryption module as indicated by certificate #4528 The epoxy coated boundary includes all encryption functions and all Critical Security Parameters (CSPs) such as PIN storage, encryption key generation and storage, random number and seed generators, and all firmware storage. The FIPS module is a complete encryption system, and all CSPs never leave the boundary and are never shared with a host system. By design, the HDD/SSD that stores the encrypted data is excluded from this boundary to both maximize affordability and product line flexibility in capacity and form factor offerings.

Aegis Configurator Compatible

Windows-Based App that Quickly Sets Up Multiple Devices Simultaneously. Create custom profiles and mass configure multiple devices in a matter of seconds using the Aegis Configurator. To configure an expanded number of devices, use the Powered Aegis Configurator Hub bundle.

Separate Admin and User Mode

Admin (Device Configuration) Mode and User Access Mode. The Aegis Fortress supports one independent Admin and up to three User PINs. The Admin mode controls the universal programmable settings of the device and can only be accessed with the Admin PIN. The User mode is limited to basic external drive functions like read /write, unlock / lock, etc. The data on the drive can also be accessed with the admin PIN in the User mode.

Polymer-Coated Wear-Resistant Onboard membrane Type Keypad

Drive is Unlocked by Entering a PIN on Keypad and not the Host Computer’s Keyboard. Until the device is unlocked via its keypad, it remains invisible to the host. The embedded keypad circumvents all hardware and software key logging attempts to capture passwords by excluding the host system from the authentication process. Polymer-coated membrane-style keypad is wear-resistant to prevent revealing the drive's most commonly used buttons.

Admin Forced Enrollment

Unique PIN Must be Established at Time of Setup. Eliminates Factory Default PIN Vulnerability. Out of the box, there are no factory pre-set default PINs. In order to set up and use the drive, a unique PIN must first be established by the Admin, from within the Admin mode.

User Forced Enrollment

Admin Can Program Device at Setup Requiring User to Establish a Unique PIN. Once a device is configured by the Admin, it can then be deployed in a state of USER FORCED ENROLLMENT in which the User must first establish his or her own User PIN before the drive can be accessed or used.

Data Recovery PINs

Creates State of User Forced Enrollment that Restores Access to Drive. In the event that a User PIN is forgotten, Recovery PINs can be programmed into the device to permit access to the drive’s data by creating a new state of User Forced Enrollment while the Admin PIN and the drive’s data remain intact. Once a replacement User PIN is generated, access to the drive is restored for the user.

Two ReadOnly Modes

Global, All Access Settings Controlled by Admin, and User Mode Controlling Individual Settings. Employed in situations that require the drive’s contents to be kept intact and unaltered for later examination. The two Read-Only modes are as follows: Universal Read Only is set by the admin from within the admin mode and can’t be modified or disabled by anyone but the admin. The second read-only mode can be set and disabled by a user but can also be enabled or disabled by the admin as well.

Programmable PIN Lengths

Admin Designates Minimum and Maximum PIN Lengths (between 7 and 16 Characters). The longer the PIN, the more secure the data on the device becomes. For example, the odds of brute force success go from 1/10,000,000 with a 7-digit PIN to 1/100,000,000 with an 8 digit PIN. In cases where the User sets up his or her own PIN from User Forced Enrollment, the Admin can set an enhanced User password length requirement as part of the overall security policy.

Brute-Force Defense

Select the Number of Consecutive Invalid PIN Attempts Permitted (4-20) Before Crypto-Erase. All Aegis Secure Drives are unlocked (authenticated) by entering a PIN on their own onboard keypad. Since the PIN is not entered using the host computer’s keyboard, they are not vulnerable to software or hardware-based key-loggers or software-based brute force attacks. However, if the device comes under a physical brute force attack, your data is protected with a programmable “Brute Force Hack Defense Mechanism” which, if the programmed number (between 4 and 20) of consecutive incorrect password entries has been attempted, the device will delete its own encryption key and destroy the ability to decrypt its stored data.

Unattended Auto Lock

Programmable Length of Time of Inactivity Permitted Before Drive Locks Itself. All Aegis Secure Drives will automatically lock once disconnected from a computer’s USB port or the power to that USB port is interrupted, or after a pre-programmed period of inactivity.

Lock Override

Allows Drive to Remain Unlocked During USB Port Re Enumeration (Virtual Machine, Remote Boot). Designated for specific cases in which the drive needs to remain unlocked through USB port re-enumeration such as during reboot, or passing through a virtual machine.

Unattended Auto Lock

Programmable Period of Inactivity Permitted Before Drive Locks Itself. All Aegis Secure Drives will automatically lock once disconnected from a computer’s USB port or the power to that USB port is interrupted, or after a pre-programmed period of inactivity.

Drive Reset Feature

All Apricorn Devices can be Reset and Redeployed Over and Over. Drive reset clears both the User and Admin PINs, destroys the data, creates a new randomly generated encryption key and allows the drive to be reused repeatedly, with an infinite number of randomly generated encryption keys, allowing the admn and or user to reset the drive as often as is needed.

Self-Destruct PIN

When Programmed and Activated, Performs a Crypto-Erase and Becomes New Access PIN. The last line of defense for data security when the device’s physical security is at risk. The Self-Destruct PIN defends against these physically compromising situations by erasing the drive’s contents, leaving it in normal working order appearing yet to be deployed

LED Key Press Indicator

Visually Confirms Successful Button Presses via the Device’s LEDs.

IP66 Certification

Dust and Water Resistant Durable ABS Housing and Membrane Keypad Protecting data goes well beyond encryption. Tough enough to go anywhere, the Aegis Fortress’s resilient design makes it perfect for travel and field applications. The Aegis Fortress is tamper-evident and well protected against physical damage.

Data Transfer Rate

USB 3.2 gen 1 (3.0) - up to 5 Gbps

Power Supply

100% Bus Powered

Buffer Size

8MB

Interface

Super Speed USB 3.2 type A (Backwards compatible with USB 2.0 and 1.1)

RPM

5400 HDD

Average seek time

12 ms

Shock - non operating
1000G 1ms

Shock - operating

300G 2ms

Dimensions
19mm X 84.5mm X 120mm (0.75” X 3.3” X 4.7”) Weight: 6.2oz.

Warranty

3 year limited

Approvals

FC CE | FIPS 140-2 Level 2 Validated (NIST certification #3944)

Certification Policies

NIST Cert. #4528

ECCN / HTS / Cage Code
5A992.c / 8471.70.5065 / 3VYK8
System Requirements
Compatible with all Operating Systems, including Windows, Mac and Linux Requires USB port

Comments

One gigabyte (GB) = one billion bytes; accessible capacity will be less and actual capacity depends on the operating environment and formatting.

 

 

 

 

SSD Specs

 

 

Data Transfer Rate

USB 3.0 – up to 350 MB/sec | *To achieve these data transfer speeds, your computer's internal drive must be solid state. In the case of your computer having a hard drive, the speed will be limited by your internal HDD

Power Supply

100% Bus Powered

Buffer Size

8MB

Interface

USB 3.2 Gen 1

Average seek time

0.1 ms Access Time

Shock - operating

1500G/0.5ms | Virtually shock and vibration resistant
Warranty
3 Year Limited
Approvals

FCC, CE | FIPS 140-2 Level 2 Validated (NIST certification # 3944)

Certification Policies

Click here for Security Policies

ECCN / HTS / Cage Code

5A992.c / 8523.51.0000 / 3VYK8
System Requirements
Compatible with all Operating Systems, including Windows, Mac and Linux Requires USB port (for maximum speeds must be used with a USB 3.0 port) - Backwards compatible with USB 2.0 and 1.1 One gigabyte (GB) = one billion bytes; accessible capacity will be less and actual capacity depends on the operating environment and formatting.

Comments

Drive Type: Solid State Drive

Encryption: 256-bit AES Hardware Encryption

Operating Temperature Range: -40°F to 158°F (-40°C to 70°C)

Operating Humidity Range: 95% humidity at temperatures under 131°F (55°C)

Vibration: 20G/20-2000Hz

Aegis Fortress Quick Start Guide Multi-Lingual (Size: 570 KB)

Aegis Fortress Manual Configurable EN (Size: 120000 KB)

Aegis Fortress CONFIGURABLE Data Sheet (Size: 772 KB)

Aegis Fortress Users Manual SP (Size: 953000 KB)

Aegis Fortress Users Manual FR (Size: 1200000 KB)

Aegis Fortress Users Manual DE (Size: 1200000 KB)

Aegis Fortress Users Manual IT (Size: 1200000 KB)

Apricorn Product Sales Agreement EN (Size: 109 KB)

(Legacy) Aegis Padlock Fortress Quick Start Guide (Size: 155 KB)

Aegis Padlock Fortress Manual (legacy) (Size: 1600 KB)

03-02-2018 | Tom Atkinson, Tech Trends

Here we have a rugged, portable, USB 3 external drive from Apricorn, boasting incredible data security, with FIPS 140-2 level 2 Validated Encryption Module, the Aegis Fortress is a 1TB beast!

View Full Article

What is an Aegis secure device?

Aegis secure devices are any of our 256-bit hardware-encrypted drives as follows: Aegis Secure Key 3, Aegis Secure Key 3nx, Aegis Secure Key 3z, Aegis Padlock 3, Aegis Padlock DT, Aegis Padlock DT FIPS, Aegis Fortress, Aegis Fortress L3, Aegis Padlock SSD, and Aegis Bio 3.0

Why is my Aegis secure device showing a solid blue/green LED combination when I try to use it?

If the device is showing a solid blue/green LED combination then there is no Admin PIN set. An Admin PIN must be established prior to unlocking and using the drive. Follow steps in the product Quick Start Guide for ‘First Time Use’ to set an Admin PIN and begin using the drive.

Why is the red LED blinking when I attempt to unlock the device?

If the red LED is flashing rapidly then the device has entered Brute Force Protection Mode. This occurs at the halfway point of consecutive incorrect unlock attempts. This number is programmable; the max (and default setting) is 10 attempts. Follow the steps in the product manual which refer to Brute Force Protection to permit the second half of your remaining unlock PIN entries. Note: if all of the allowed attempts are spent on incorrect PIN entries, the device will assume it’s under brute force attack and perform a crypto-erase, rendering all of the device’s data as indecipherable.

Why is my device locking and entering standby mode while it is still connected to my PC?

If your encrypted Aegis secure device is locking when it is connected to a PC running Windows 8 or Windows 10 it is most likely due to suspend commands that Windows is issuing to the drive in order to reduce power consumption. When Windows suspends an Aegis secure device it will lock. The PIN must be entered again in order to unlock and use the drive. The following instructions will show you how to configure Windows to stop issuing suspend commands: https://www.thewindowsclub.com/prevent-hard-drive-going-sleep-windows

Why is my drive locking and entering standby mode while it is still connected to my Mac?

There are Energy Saver system settings within the Mac OS that could be sending suspend commands to the Apricorn drive, forcing it to lock when not in use. To disable these settings, open the system preferences in the Mac OS and navigate to the Energy Saver settings. There is an option here to “put hard disks to sleep when idle.” Uncheck this option and the Aegis secure device should stay unlocked as long as the Mac is not put to sleep/shut down.

Why is my drive locking and entering standby mode while connected to my PC even after I have configured the power settings correctly?

If Windows continues to suspend your Apricorn encrypted drive, causing it to return to its standby mode, a registry edit will need to be run in order to tell Windows to stop that suspension. Please fill out the following form for technical support and you will receive a reply with the necessary registry edit:
 
https://apricorn.com/product-support-request

How do I use the Aegis secure device without a PIN?

As a full disk encryption product, Aegis devices can never be used without a PIN.

What can I do if I forget the Admin PIN?

IF the Admin PIN was the only PIN generated in initial device setup then the only option is to perform a device reset and establish a new Admin PIN. All device's data will be lost as a result of device reset. If User PIN(s) and / or data recovery PINs (Configurator-compatible devices only) were created at initial setup, then it is possible to unlock the device using any of these PINs.

What can I do if I forget the User PIN?

Access the drive using the Admin PIN. Follow the steps in the manual to remove the User PINs (which will also remove all recovery PINs and self-destruct PIN) and then add new User PIN(s). If your device has a “Configurable” symbol on it, up to 4 recovery PINs can be programmed onto the device (typically by the Admin during initial configuration). If you forget your original user PIN, the recovery PINs will allow you to create a replacement User PIN. If your drive was issued by your workplace, your IT Administrator/Help Desk should be able to provide you the recovery PIN. Once the new User PIN is set up, you will be able to unlock the drive and access your data. If Recovery PINs were not created at initial setup, the Admin PIN can be used to unlock the drive and recover the data. Additionally the Admin can generate a new User PIN(s) from within the Admin mode. In the event that no recovery PINs were set and both the User and Admin PINs are forgotten, the drive can be reset and used again but all of the device's data will be lost as a result of the reset.

What if I forget all the PINs on my Aegis Configurator-Compatible Secure Device?

If you forget the User and Admin PINs you may still access the device using a data recovery PINs, provided they were established at initial device setup. If data recovery PINs were NOT established, you will not be able to access or recover any of its data. There are no back doors or hidden manufacturing codes that will allow data access. To resume using the device, you will need to completely reset which will result in the following:

  • All data on the drive will be erased
  • A new encryption key will be generated automatically
  • All PINs will be deleted (Admin, User, Self-Destruct, Data-Recovery)
  • A new Admin/User PIN(s) will need to be established
  • Data Recovery PINs should be established
  • The Aegis Secure Device will need to be reformatted

What if I forget my PIN on my non-configurable Aegis Secure Device?

If you forget the User and Admin PINs, you will not be able to access the data. Recovery of the data will not be possible. There are no back doors or hidden manufacturing codes that will permit access to its data. You will need to completely reset the Aegis secure device which will result in the following:

  • All data on the drive will be erased
  • A new encryption key will be generated automatically
  • All PINs will be deleted (Admin, User, Self-Destruct)
  • A new Admin/User PIN(s) will need to be established
  • The Aegis Secure Device will need to be reformatted

Is there a problem with leaving the drive in Lock-Override mode?

Potentially. In the lock-override mode, the drive will stay unlocked until either the USB port power is interrupted or the device’s lock button is physically pressed. To protect the contents of the device, use this mode with an abundance of caution, especially when plugged into a powered hub. If the drive is left unlocked and unattended while inserted into a powered hub, it is possible to move the hub's host side USB cable to another computer without interrupting USB power to the unlocked device. It is always a good practice to lock the drive or remove it from the USB port whenever unattended.

What encryption algorithm is used in this product?

The entire family of Aegis secure devices uses an AES-XTS 256-bit algorithm.

What is BadUSB and are Apricorn devices susceptible to this exploit?

BadUSB is a theoretical exploit that was presented by SR Labs at the Black Hat conference in August of 2014. SR Labs demonstrated a vulnerability in one USB device that allowed malicious code to be programmed into the USB controller through a firmware update process. The attack described is very sophisticated and in the case of Apricorn's products would require advanced knowledge of our USB controller, a leaked version of our firmware, the programming tool to update our controller, the password used for our programming tool, and an in depth understanding of the device's functionality, etc. According to SR Labs, the failsafe method to eliminate this threat is to simply disable the ability to update the controller's firmware. Apricorn's devices shipping today, including all of our USB 3.0 security products, Padlock and Padlock Pro families already have the firmware locked which prevents field updates to the USB controller. As a continuous improvement, Apricorn is locking down the firmware on all USB controllers used in Apricorn devices to safeguard against this vulnerability.
 

What are the ECCN and HST codes used for shipping this device outside the US?

  • ECCN: 5A992C
  • HTS code for HDD devices: 8471.70.2000
  • HTS code for SSD and Secure Key Devices: 8523.51.0000

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