VIA introduces StrongBox security

VIA has made its StrongBox secure virtual drive application available. It utlizes the VIA PadLock Security Engine in VIA C7 and VIA C7-M processors to enable real-time encryption of data on local storage devices using military-grade security algortihms. The security of VIA StrongBox will be put to the test with a US$5000 prize on offer during the annual OPEN HACK competition at this year's Hack in the Box security conference being held in Malaysia this week.

Viruses, worms, hacking and identity theft have become an everyday part of computing, with the result that the security of our personal and confidential business information is emerging as the single biggest issue in computing today. Notebook PCs are especially vulnerable, with their easy portability creating a much higher risk of theft and loss – reports show that a staggering 10% of notebooks are stolen annually.

VIA StrongBox empowers users to safely store as much as 40 gigabytes of their personal documents, photos, and files in up to ten virtual ‘strongbox' drives, with a stylish, intuitive interface for easy configuration and management. Information can be saved and retrieved on unlocked StrongBox drives just like any other storage device, but when locked or when the computer is shut down, VIA StrongBox encrypts all the contents in real time, rendering them 100% unreadable and inaccessible to unauthorized users.

Using a combination of the military-grade secure hash algorithm SHA-1 and the unbreakable AES 256-bit algorithm to secure drive contents, VIA StrongBox employs the powerful hardware security features of the VIA PadLock Security Engine built into every VIA C7-M processor to provide lightning-fast encryption with no impact on system performance.

VIA StrongBox
VIA StrongBox runs on all VIA C7 and VIA C7-M processors, as well as VIA C3 and VIA Eden processors based on the ‘Nehemiah' C5P core, and enables up to 10 virtual drives to be created on a system hard drive, each with a potential maximum size of four gigabytes. Users assign each virtual StrongBox drive a physical size limit, a drive letter, a unique password and password hint, and may create their own password hint reminder question for enhanced password safety.

Accessed by either the VIA StrongBox control center or the standard Microsoft ® Windows ® file manager, the application gives users the option to lock and unlock a drive, manage their drives, and configure them to automatically lock up on the activation of a screen saver, or to enact a timed lock-out following multiple incorrect password entries.

Available for free download from the VIA product and technical information portal VIA Arena, t he VIA StrongBox software joins an existing suite of VIA PadLock-enabled applications released by VIA and its partners, as the latest demonstration of the effectiveness of the VIA PadLock Security Engine. With the VIA PadLock Security Initiative, VIA is laying down a strong foundation for security by providing a comprehensive set of powerful building blocks to create the building of dynamic digital fortresses to protect valuable information from existing and emerging cyber threats.

For more technical information on VIA StrongBox and free download, please visit VIA Arena.