In the name of protecting sensitive data, many drives – both mechanical and solid-state – are available in special Self-Encrypting Drive trim. These will auto-encrypt any and all data loaded on, usually with standardized 256-bit AES strength, requiring the entry of a password for data access.
However, for those who feel that this is not enough, there exist products like SecureDrives’ Autothysis128t. Layered atop the aforementioned self-encryption is a very robust list of security features, including, yes, manual or automatic destruction of the flash memory chips.
This “destruction” is the physical fracturing of said memory chips, along with the Autothysis’ security processor. It can be triggered by trying to open the case, entering the wrong PIN code too many times, by removing the drive from a PC, or simply by sending a command, among other options.
The Token, that smaller box with the keypad in the photos, is used to unlock via PIN and configure the Autothysis’ features, which, by the way, work independently of the host OS. The Autothysis even has a battery and GSM module inside, allowing configuration and nuke-by-text without a computer.
Moving on to the SSD itself, we have 128GB of Micron’s 20nm MLC flash. Sustained reads and writes are pegged at 120MB/s, with random read and write speeds of up to 20,000 IOPS. This is slow for an SSD, but SecureDrives aren’t expecting users to put their operating system on these drives.
A SATA 3Gbps connector and micro USB 3.0 port serve as interfaces, and the Autothysis fits into the standard 2.5”-wide, 9.5mm-height form factor.
All in all, just one Autothysis128t will cost you £1,027 GBP, or roughly $1,653 USD. Hey, this is a solid-state drive worthy of the NSA, folks. It’s hard to expect them to be even relatively affordable.
