I’ve noticed a worrying trend lately. As more and more people are working from home because of the coronavirus pandemic, there’s been a big increase in people using USB flash drives to store data. I’ve lost count of the number of cheap dollar-store drives, or drives picked up at trade shows I’ve seen in use.
Lose a drive like that, and the data on it is easily accessible to anyone who wants to snoop on it.
While you can use software to encrypt data on external drives, it’s a hassle, time-consuming, and prone to leaving data unencrypted. Far better to use a drive that mkes use of built-in hardware encryption.
A drive like the DataLocker Sentry K300.
The Sentry K300 is the only platform independent (works with Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, Chromebook, and more), keypad, micro SSD to incorporate an OLED display to enable advanced security features.
For added security the drive supports true alpha-numeric password based authentication, and makes use of a FIPS 197 certified AES 256-bit hardware module.
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There’s a lot to like about this drive, from the tactile keypad, robust construction, and USB 3.1 Type A interface, but what sets it head and shoulders above the rest is the OLED display that makes operating the drive a snap. No longer do you have to randomly jab and buttons and decipher LED blinks.
Everything you need to know is right there on the display.
DataLocker Sentry K300: Advanced security features:
- Supports true alphanumeric for strong passwords
- Read-Only Mode
- Brute Force Hack Defense
- Auto-Lock feature
- Admin configurable password policy
- User and Admin roles
- Rapid secure wipe
$138 at CDW
For enterprise users, the Sentry K300 can be remotely managed by DataLocker’s SafeConsole central management platform.
Worried about performance? Some encrypted drives can be painfully slow, but the Sentry K300 is no slouch, with the 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB good for speeds of 220MB/s read speeds, and 100MB/s write speeds, while the larger 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB drives capable of 220MB/s read speeds, and 200MB/s write speeds.
The DataLocker Sentry K300 comes in a range of storage options — 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB — with prices starting at around $130. The drive is backed up by a three-year warranty.