Kingston reveals secure DataTraveler 4000-M series

Kingston presents the DataTraveler 4000-M Manager (DT4000-M), a new USB flash drive that focuses on security. It is FIPS 140-2 Level 2 certified, the flash drive offers full hardware-based 256-bit AES encryption in CBC mode and locks down after 10 intrusion attempts. It's pretty expensive though, prices range from $62 to $195 for the 2GB to 16GB units. Additionally, the performance isn't too impressive either, read speeds are only 18MB/s and write speeds are listed as just 10MB/s. Full specifications over here.

Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced the DataTraveler® 4000-M Managed (DT4000-M) USB Flash drive, a fully managed version of the company’s DataTraveler 4000 product. Specifically developed and priced for enterprise deployments, the FIPS-certified DT4000-M leverages SafeConsole for Kingston® server software from BlockMaster® to deliver best-in-class USB protection, flexibility and centralized management control at an affordable cost.

The Ponemon Institute released data last month highlighting that data breach costs are skyrocketing. Specifically, monetary loss related to mobile devices for US-based organizations surveyed rose 15 percent year-over-year to $258 per record. Data from other industry sources show a 400-percent year-over-year increase in lost USBs during 2010, with 1 in 10 employees losing a USB drive containing corporate info. Additionally, a recent survey from BlockMaster found that 76 percent of workers plug unknown USB drives into their company laptops, exponentially increasing the risk of passing on viruses and malware to their corporate networks.

Encryption can protect data from unauthorized access, but in some cases adds complications that prompt employees to circumvent company-approved drives in favor of consumer drives for ease of use. This scenario unfolded in the case of Cambridgeshire County Council in February 2011.

Addressing these business, technology and user dynamics, the DT4000-M is the only enterprise-focused drive on the market to meet the requirements of all stakeholders, including:

The right amount of business security at the right cost: Strong, hardware-based encryption; FIPS 140-2 Level 2 certification for the entire cryptographic module at a lower cost than competing solutions.

Granular, customized control for high trust with low overhead: Full device-state management for tight policy enforcement and lockdown of stolen/lost drives – without bricking; customization for easy asset tagging; and, full audit and backup/recovery for forensic analysis and compliance – including adherence to all data-at-rest regulations.

Ease-of-use and end user enablement: User-friendly platform offering features such as remote password reset and customization options

"Recent data loss statistics and events underscore the critical enterprise need - not just for secure USB drives - but for corporate-wide secure USB drive strategies," said John Terpening, secure USB business manager, Kingston. "The DT4000-M provides the right level of security with the right level of cost, flexibility and ease-of-use."

The DT4000-M complements Kingston’s recently announced DataTraveler Vault Privacy - Managed USB Flash drive in benefitting from the world-class SafeConsole® for Kingston server software from BlockMaster, a security leader with the broadest and most mature central management offering on the market. Kingston and BlockMaster will exhibit together at Infosecurity Europe Conference in booths F60 and D91.

"Data loss resulting from unsecure and unmanaged USB use has plagued organizations long enough," said Anders Kjellander, Chief Security Office, BlockMaster. "The DT4000-M is truly impressive. It represents the first time a managed secure FIPS drive is being made available for corporate use at a price point designed to fuel wide and rapid adoption by enterprises. The 100-percent secure and 100-percent managed DT4000-M is a SafeConsoleReady device that will attract a lot of attention."