... Spyrus

SPYRUS, Inc. announced Secure Portable Workplace for Microsoft Corp.'s Windows To Go.



The device offers Secured by SPYRUS patented hardware encryption and security-enhanced boot technologies in a USB 3.0 Windows To Go drive that runs Windows 8 at SSD speeds.

Secure Portable Workplace creates a trusted mobile computing environment with the advantages of hardware enhanced security endpoint connections to the Internet or your cloud. It is for continuity of operations, tele-working initiatives, traveling 'road warriors,' and shared PCs, and provides an enterprise-controlled environment for BYOD computers and contractors.

Windows To Go is a new feature in Windows 8 Enterprise that enables enterprises to provision a corporate desktop on an external USB 3.0 drive, enabling users to boot and use their corporate image on almost any PC.

The proven strength of on-board military-grade hardware encryption enables Secure Portable Workplace to withstand the sophisticated attacks from gaining access to information on the device. SPYRUS patented technology and built-in self checks enforce on-the-fly integrity validation to help enable fast and secure boot-up and enhance the user experience without suffering the performance or vulnerability penalties incurred by other bootable products. Secure Portable Workplace was designed to meet FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certification requirements and implements US Government-approved, next-generation cryptographic algorithms that help protect the device, the data, and the OS.

Secure Portable Workplace uses the same on-board hardware encrypted infrastructure that is built into the SPYRUS Secure Pocket Drive, including AES CBC, ECDH, ECDSA, ECC P-384, and SHA-384, which together make up the U.S. Government's Suite B cryptography, part of its cryptographic modernization program. Sector-based full disk encryption is based on XTS-AES 256 encryption (NIST SP800-38E).

It is also available in an unencrypted version, marketed as Portable Workplace.

Both versions meet the performance requirements of Windows To Go certified drives. Enterprise customers will have the flexibility to start with the unencrypted Portable Workplace and then upgrade to Secure Portable Workplace as their needs change. Both versions will be managed by the SPYRUS Enterprise Management System to allow authorized administrators to remotely disable and enable devices, reset passwords, and audit user actions. This will provide provisioning controls to help protect against data theft or loss.

"We're excited to have SPYRUS as a Windows To Go go-to-market partner," said Karri Alexion-Tiernan, director of Product Marketing, Windows Enterprise, Microsoft. "The combination of Windows To Go and Secure Portable Workplace advances trusted mobile computing and gives our customers a great user experience on a revolutionary platform."

"SPYRUS has been working with Microsoft for several years, and Secure Portable Workplace is one of the first hardware encrypted bootable USB 3.0 platforms available for Windows To Go," said Tom Dickens, COO of SPYRUS. "With the durability of SSD flash memory and the lightning-fast performance of USB 3.0 speeds, Secure Portable Workplace is a giant leap forward in security-enhanced mobile computing."

Secure Portable Workplace and Secure Pocket Drive are protected by U.S. Patents 7,757,100, 7,380,140, 6,088,802, and 6,981,149, with other patents pending.