Portable Encrypted HDD (500GB at $500) by Addonics

Addonics Technologies announced a portable encrypted hard drive security solution that provides multiple levels of protection for security-sensitive mobile users.

The Cipher Drive SC integrates into the drive enclosure a Smart Card reader and key pad to provide two levels of authentication to ensure passwords never encounter the computer. This high level of security makes it ideal for government and business markets.

The unveiling occurred at XChange Americas.

The hardware-based encryption is transparent to the end-user and is platform, operating system, and software independent. In addition, the hardware solution, which utilizes eNova encryption and ASIC chip technology, is much faster than software encryption because the system processor isn’t being used, thus eliminating the performance drain that comes with software encryption.

The Cipher Drive SC is simple to operate and requires no training. It is also cost effective because it removes IT department concerns about upgrades, bug fixes, training costs or other issues often associated with deploying encryption software to large numbers of portable users.

The new Addonics technology utilizes government approved 256bit AES encryption that is NIST and FIPS certified so users can be assured sensitive data is fully protected.

"Hardware-based encryption is more cost effective, easier to use and much simpler to deploy than software based solutions," stated Bill Kwong, Addonics President. "Not only are there no update problems or different platforms and operating systems to worry about, there’s no performance degradation because the CPU is freed from doing encryption."

Among the features of the Cipher Drive SC are Smart Card + PIN authentication; disk hardware encryption using AES 256-bit key strength; an user-configurable PIN and admin password for administrative mode; the ability to use it like an ordinary external USB drive, and ease of use – no training is required.

The Addonics solution supports any 2.5" SATA hard drive of 9mm – 9.5mm height; has a built-in USB 2.0 and Firewire 800 interface, and is RHS compliant.

List price is $499.95 for the 500 gigabyte hard drive.

Addonics products are available through the company online store www.shopaddonics.com, major catalog companies, resellers, VARs and distributors, including Amazon.com, PC Connection, CDW, Buy.com, Provantage.com, Insight, and Ingram Micro.