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January 2007
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By Cliff Millward, Editor cliffm@xmission.com
Happy New Year
Traditionally, seven is a good number, so I am trusting that 2007 will be a good year for all Blue Chippers.
What Can’t You Buy on e-bay?
Jim and Mary Walker are selling snow on eBay. Starting bids were 99 cents for samples from “Blizzard I and Blizzard II.”
How much snow 99 cents gets depends on shipping and handling charges. They advise picking it up at their hope in a dump truck.
They said they only wanted to give people a good laugh.
Another Worm
Another e-mail worm offers an unhappy new year The worm masquerades as a new year greeting.
Messages containing files named ‘postcard.exe’ and ‘postcard.zip’ actually hide the worm called Dref-V.
It started spreading on 30 December and accounted for 93.7 per cent of all infected e-mail in the last two days of that year.
The attachment worm affects all Windows computers by downloading software from the internet and turning off antivirus products.
Hope you haven’t fallen for this one!
There’s a Blue (Bleu?) Ford in Your Future?
Ford has made an agreement with Microsoft to outfit its entire fleet of vehicles with computer and Bluetooth technology
The system is called “Sync,” and will eventually be offered on all Ford vehicles. Car owners will be able to use the system for hands-free cell phone calls or to transfer e-mail information wirelessly.
The product will be available on the Ford Focus and the Five Hundred Sedan. Later, all cars will have this option.
The official announcement will be made at CES. Perhaps the Blue Chippers attending CES this year will give us more information.
Watch What You Type on That Computer
A typing mistake on an online booking company put a German man quite a bit off-course on a journey to meet his girlfriend.
He left
He was left in the stuck middle of
I Guess Plastics is Still a Good Buy
In 2000 Plastic Logic, a Cambridge-based start-up company, announced it was attempting to commercialize a form of plastic electronics that had developed from research at the laboratory.
They used a cheap and simple set of processing operations to build up layers of circuitry on plastic “substrates” – the material on which circuits are formed – rather than silicon wafers used in conventional microchips.
Over the past 50 years semiconductors have been fundamental to just about every form of economic activity, but perhaps there is a “new kid on the block.”
The first offerings from the factory will be pieces of plastic
about A4 size. The basic plastic substrate will be polyethylene terephthalate,
a form of plastic used to make drink (soda) bottles. A plant in
The distances between adjacent circuitry lines in the plastic semiconductors will be 5-10 micrometers (5-10 millionths of a metre) but they are working on smaller dimensions. When this happens the world may be ready to embrace a new form of microchip – based on the A4 model. Chips would then be cheap enough to do jobs for which current silicon devices are too expensive.
Finè
Index
The meeting was convened at 7:10 pm by President Rick Gregory.
Open Access
Rick asked the members their opinion of alternative meeting sites
for the General meeting. The problem
with our current site is access to the building which has been complicated by
the construction. The main Salt Lake
City Library, the
Stuart Gygi mentioned the Windows Vista Launch Event. The local event will be February 1, 2007 at
the
Rick asked about a conflict with multiple users on XP using the speaker. The speaker settings seem to be common to all users.
Herb Flindt mentioned a device that tests strings of Xmas tree lights and helps you find the light that is out. It costs about $15. Talk to Herb for more information.
Presentation
The evening’s presentation was by
Bob introduced the subject by discussing the nature of High Definition Television (HDTV). The original TV signal consisted of a video signal and an audio signal transmitted on different carriers within a stations bandwidth. For HDTV, you have 18 different video formats and 15 audio formats. The stations can broadcast many different things in those formats. One difference with HDTV, since the information is in digital form, you either get a good signal or none at all. No snow or interference. Currently, all TV shows are broadcast in standard format and some are broadcast in HDTV format simultaneously. Be aware that the standard format broadcast is scheduled to terminate in February of 2009. After that, those still using a standard TV will have to purchase a special box that will convert the HDTV signal to a standard TV signal.
Bob the played a video that appeared on Public Television that was narrated by Bob Cringeley called, “Digital TV: A Cringeley Crash Course.” Cringeley talked about the history of TV. TV started with a screen aspect ratio of 4X3 which originated with one of Thomas Edison’s engineers. It was an arbitrary choice which hasn’t changed until the introduction of HDTV. The movies, in order to stay ahead of TV competition in the 1950s developed wider screen formats such as Cinerama and Cinemascope. The average of those formats was a 16X9 aspect ratio. HDTV adopted this format to match the movie experience. How do you show this format on a standard TV. Either you cutoff the left and right ends of the picture thus losing some of the picture, or you shrink the picture to fit the width of the standard TV and add black bands at the top and bottom of the screen. HDTV will incorporate 6 times as many picture elements which will allow 6 times as much detail in the picture. This gives you movie theatre quality on an HDTV TV. The data rate of an HDTV signal is 20 million bits per second all of which high definition picture requires. But because of the digital nature of the signal, it can be divided into multiple channels. This is called Advanced TV. Cringeley illustrated the value of the multiple formats transmitted in a single signal by showing Steve Thomas of This Old House how with digital TV, he could show his customers a floor plan, a budget, and before and after pictures of the remodeled home, simultaneously with a standard definition TV show.
Bob Beaudoin described the TV formats in terms of lines on the screen. Standard TV shows 525 lines on the screen in an interlaced mode. Interlacing means displaying every other line in on vertical scan and the in between lines in a second vertical scan. With digital, you can transmit 480 lines interlaced or progressive for a standard picture. Progressive means displaying all the lines in one vertical scan. For high definition pictures you can display 720 lines interlaced or progressive and 1080 lines interlaced. This is for TV transmissions. For DVD disc recording, the competing HDTV and Blu-Ray formats will used 1080 progressive. Until
Bob demonstrated his system. He wasn’t able to show high definition pictures since the overhead projector in the meeting room doesn’t support HDTV. His system is an IBM compatible PC running Widows XP with 2 DVICO TV tuners with HDTV capability. The tuners are controllable through a hand held remote device. He uses a program called Beyond TV (Version 4) by SnapStream Media to control the recording and playback. It can record two shows to the hard drive while playing a third on his monitor or TV. It also accesses the Internet for programming information and supports commercial skipping. The programming information shows what shows are available weeks into the future, and you can setup your recording schedule from this. If you could see the program schedule, you would see that most stations broadcast several programs simultaneously. Beyond TV also allows you to create a DVD from a TV program. To find out more about Beyond TV, go to www.snapstream.com.
Bob showed a comparison chart of current DVD formats versus standard and high definition. Current DVD is higher resolution than standard TV, but is lower resolution than 720p.
Larry showed his system which is analog, not digital It is also based on an IBM compatible PC running Windows. It has a single ATI-TV Wonder TV Tuner. The tuner also provides inputs for other video sources, such as a VCR or a Camcorder.
Submitted by Stuart Gygi
Index
DataTraveler Secure USB Flash Drive
Reviewed by Don Nendell
Manufacturer:
Toll Free: (877)-KINGSTON
[(877) 546-4786]
Technical Support (Toll free)
(800) 435-0640
Technical Support (Direct) (714) 435-2639
Technical Fax (Direct) (714) 424-3939
E-mail Address
sales@kingston.com
Sales Support End User: (800) 835-6575
DataTraveler Secure
Specifications and Features
Storage Capacities: 512MB, 1GB, 2GB & 4GB
Pricing: Visit
Secure: Uses 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)
hardware-based encryption (privacy zone) and MyDataZone Security Software with
built-in password-protected access and security (if ever lost or stolen) and
Partitioning Software (included on the USB drive)
Safeguarded and Easy to Use: Includes MyTraveler file management, customizing language and synchronization software for Windows (included on the USB drive)
Enhanced: Enhanced for Windows ReadyBoost on PCs preinstalled with Windows Vista™
Dimensions: 3.06” x 0.9” x 0.47”
(77.9 mm x 22.2 mm x 12.05 mm)
Power Supply: USB bus-powered
(No external power required)
Operating Systems Supported: Windows 2000 SP4 or higher,
Win XP SP1 and above
Fast data transfer rates: Up to 24 MB/sec. read and up to 10 MB/sec. write
Compliant: Designed to USB 2.0 specifications
Embedded support: USB 2.0 high-speed protocol and backward compatible with USB 1.1
Simple and Easy to Use: Just plug and play into a USB port
Operating temperatures: 32 F to 140 F (0 C to 60 C)
Storage temperatures: -4 F to 185 F (-20 C to 85 C)
Waterproof: Protects against water damage
Casing: Titanium Coated Stainless Steel
Guaranteed: Five-year warranty
Pocket-sized for easy transportability with Plug and Play USB technology
Includes carrying strap with a very good snap-on protective
cover
Customizable: Co-logo program available
Happy New Year Everyone
Background
As I began this review I got to thinking, “Exactly how many Security related reviews have I really done in the past four (4) to five (5) years?” The actual number was short of amazing, to say the least - 14 in all. Wow! “What could be so engrossing? So interesting? So important?” I asked myself. The subjects covered in those reviews ranged from Smart Cards (1) to USB Flash Drives (UFDs) (12) to Security Suites (1).
Each individual review was directed at a product that was at that moment in time: 1) “Up and coming” or in the limelight, 2) “New” to the marketplace, 3) “Different” (or “improved” in some way) than its competitors, 4) “Significant” in the Security scheme of things, and/or 5) I was (and still am, obviously) simply fascinated in the explosive growth of USDs, and just simply had to share some of the best of them with you.
And so, here I am back again with my 15th review of an “important”
and “timely” Security product, the “new”
Important Note. “Timely” because “compromised data,” personal, private and otherwise, is flowing out of computers everywhere in the world (and most especially enterprises) like blood through a sieve these days - and it will only get worse (source: DEFCON XIV and Black Hat Briefings, July-August 2006, and every Security-related Publication or Business).
Bottom line. We must all shore up these leaky, squeaky, and scary hemorrhages of important data immediately. My reviews then, have been, and still are, an attempt on my part to help tighten the tourniquet, in some small way.
I did my first UFD review on the then “Top-of-the-line” 512 MB Kingston DataTraveler® 2.0 USB Flash Drive (DT2) almost three (3) full years ago (FYI There is an awful lot of important USB Flash drive background data in that review that I don’t want to repeat herein. So, please do see the review of DataTraveler 2 in the February 2004 BCM Archives at <www.ucs.org>. BTW Be sure to select the .pdf version to enjoy it in its full color). The DT2 was a [real] beauty back then, and “You’ve certainly come a long way, baby!” Today’s UFDs are like Dagwood’s Sandwiches - they’re each and every one a work of art, I truly feel.
I began that DT2 review with this statement: “The race is on. Did you happen to notice all the different sizes of capacity of Flash Drive Memory and their price points . . . .? If not, kindly check it out. Everybody is finally getting into the act, and John Q is going to be the benefactor in the long run. It simply had to happen, historically speaking, exactly the same as it did with Hard Drives, Memory, PC’s, Monitors, Printers, Scanners, et al. Competition is so good. Let the falling prices begin! . . . . There must be a thousand things you can do with a DT2 dangling from your keychain? I’m a sucker for’em, can you tell? DT2’s are the wave of the future.” Amazingly, all prognostications have been 100% correct, along with “exploding” memory storage capacity (which I failed to predict, Duh!), as well.
It could be safe to say that I really enjoy doing reviews of USB Flash Memory Drives (UFD), this being my 13th UFD review in the past four + (4) years (all of which, seem to magically coincide with my visits to Comdex, CES, et al. Aha! I could even be at CES 2007, as we speak?). As a gentle reminder, I have also spent the last eleven years of my life deeply and intensely involved with security considerations. The end result; I am co-originator/-owner of two (2) U.S. patents, plus a Security Suite application, based on those very same patents, which, of course, concerns security, that coincidently enough, can run entirely on every type of USB Flash Drive, on almost any computer in the world, and yet, leave no footprint on the host computer (See my review of AutoEnc (54) in the August 2006 BCM Archives at <www.ucs.org>. Again, be sure to select the .pdf version to enjoy it in its full color). No surprise there for those of you who know me? For your own benefit, I hope you’ve not only been listening to my ravings, but that you’ve joined the march to “portable” security provided by those very same UFDs, such as, DataTraveler Secure (DTS).
You can readily see by the graphic that with in excess of 50 UFDs (five (5) of which are different models of Kingston UFDs) hanging all over my desk (and even some hanging around my neck quite often) that I do indeed love these tiny utilitarian things. Undoubtedly, I could have quite naturally written lots more reviews (re. reason #5 above?) accordingly. However, even with all that intense involvement in these tiny playthings, I can still report that essentially all USB Flash Memory Drives are still basically the same as they were back when I first started my love affair with them (way back in 2002, when Samsung first introduced them). It’s fairly easy for one to say, “Seen one, seen them all!” But, like Dagwood’s sandwiches, that’s a misconception. It’s what goes into them that really makes all the difference. The main difference of each UFD being the individual size and shape, their price tag, their memory storage capacity, and now coming on strong, the addition of password security guarding “Private/Privacy” areas, that separates the “Wheat from the Chaff” in the vast army of competition out there. Needless to say, I have cherished each and every one I own, and like a good wine, they only get better with age.
How Do You Choose Between Them All?
With the marketplace seemingly over-crowded with so many different
kinds and sizes of Dagwood sandwiches (UFD’s), how do you choose between them
all? For one, allow me to share with you my friends, that the 4 MB Kingston
DataTraveler®
Thee Dagwood Approach
Speaking of family, just take a look at all the different kinds of UFDs Kingston has on the market. Choose indeed! And the best of Breed is the “new” DTS drives, simply because of the great security features built into each. It’s really the red pimento olive on top with the toothpick through it that’s the topper that makes this Dagwood so “special” for us today. I love it!
Why Is This So Important To Us?
Probably not less than a 1,000+ reasons actually. The bad guys are ratcheting up their efforts to get everyone’s identity so they can steal whatever you’ve got; mostly it’s all about money.
And, just a quick note to keep you posted, the security breaches went “flying” past the 100,000,000 mark only a couple of months ago - that’s for 2006 only (See report at <http://www.scmagazine.com/us/news/article/610010/a-dubious-milestone-privacy-rights-clearinghouse-reports-exposed-record-no-100-million/>) .
And, extracted from the SANS NewsBites, December 27, 2006, Vol. 8, Num. 102, we get the following tidbit of news:
“Data Security Breaches Top Execs’ List of Concerns (22 December 2006) According to a Harris Interactive poll conducted in
September, corporate executives at large companies place data security breaches
and terrorism at the top of their list of concerns.” Plus NewsBites reports an
additional 5,395,000 individuals data were lost (via breaches) also in this
week’s news alone. Note. FYI Our own UVSC (
Need further proof? From the SANS 2007 Hands-on Training Brochure, Security 504: Hacker Techniques, Exploits & Incident Handling Course, Ed Skoudis, the renowned instructor, cautions: “If your organization has an Internet connection or a disgruntled employee (and who doesn’t), your computer systems will get attacked. . . . Attackers are targeting your systems with increasing viciousness and stealth.”
But then, your own medical and financial records, personal data, confidential and secret data, et al., should be equally as critical to you as well. And, don’t try to kid yourself, the hackers are after you, the consumer, as well. (For more on this, see my SpySweeper with Anti-Virus review in the November 2006 BCM archives at <www.ucs.org>. FYI I really like and respect Webroot; they’re doing a fabulous job in that vicious jungle out there. Visit them at <www.webroot.com>. Psst! Remember, the .pdf version).
Note. Spyware, Adware, Trojans, Keyloggers, Viruses, et al. are security subjects too. That being the case, you can add seven (7) more to the total number of reviews on security I’ve written, for a total of 22 security reviews, in the last 4+/- years.
Wow! 22 out of a possible 48; that’s almost 46% of my reviews are security related? Hey! I didn’t really know that either - until just now! There’s got’ta be a message in there somewhere, don’t you think?
Ergo, privacy and protection of one’s stuff, at a reasonable price, is where this is all heading. DTS drives certainly fulfill that personal protection need perfectly, I feel, or trust me; I wouldn’t be doing this review for your security knowledge enlightenment. “Don’t applaud. Throw money, I’m flat busted!” ;-}
“What’s So Different to Write About This Time?” You May Be Asking Right About Now
First,
Secondly, conveniently small, portable, and easy to use, those fabulous USB Flash Drives (UFDs) have become one of the fastest-growing flash memory products, like PDA’s, cameras, cell phones, et al. Consumers now-a-days require advanced security to guard against sensitive data loss should the drives get lost, misplaced, or borrowed without permission. The demand today is for massive storage and big-performance drives to speed up data transfers, increase productivity, and with file synchronization between a computer and the UFD to allow key data to be backed up and always available for use anytime the User is away from their office, their home, or even borrowing somebody else’s PC.
And thirdly, the DTS and DTSP drives meet these needs with the industry’s highest performance and two-layer security incorporating hardware-based 256-bit AES encryption, which makes them among the most secure UFDs for Windows-based systems in the world today. Additionally, DTS drives incorporate file management and folder synchronization through an easy-to-use MyTraveler file management console.
DTS and DTSP
Security Features
This Security area along with User Authentication are primarily the areas that most interest me personally about the DTS and DTSP. FYI They definitely should be for you too! This DTS security area and User authentication is definitely what “cuts the wheat form the chaff,” as the Big Boys are want to say. This alone, in my estimation, has to be the major selling point of the complete DTS and DTSP line of UFDs.
Robust security is the primary feature that was engineered in the
DTS and DTSP drives.
Both drives incorporate a built-in encryption/decryption co-processor for advanced security. They feature an industry-leading, high-performance Flash memory that offers one of the highest levels of USB 2.0 performance available on the market today. For my money, “That’s truly equates to freedom, full security and total portability all rolled up inside a very tough nut to crack.”
The only difference between the DTS and DTSP drives is that the DTS drive allows for a public zone (where files are always visible and are easily readable and accessible) where the DTSP drive does not allow for a public zone (it is pure 100% privacy zone only). All data on a DTSP is invisible and encrypted until the User has successfully entered a valid “Strong” password to access the privacy zone - which makes DTSP drives ultra-secure. It is quite obvious to me that the DTSP is more specifically aimed at Enterprise-level data protection, but it should be given serious consideration for the more paranoid among us “Average Users.” Which is where we now depart specific DTSP coverage herein (it’s really actually the same as the DTS otherwise), since this review is initially intended to focus on the DTS - obviously a more Consumer/SMB, Enterprise oriented security product, and as such, right down our alley.
Public and Privacy Zones
On the DTS
To activate the security feature of the DTS, the User must create a privacy zone (it comes preset as a single (100%) public zone, which anyone can easily view on the host PC). The separated, adjustable public and privacy zones (partitions) are set up when the DTS drive is first used, or when the User wants to change either the public or privacy zone size through the MyDataZone software program (which is included with the UFD for use with windows-based systems).
User Authentication
The User begins by defining a password to control access to the privacy zone, where all sensitive data is encrypted and stored. This “static” password is stored in the DTS in an encrypted mode that makes it very difficult to decrypt.
Once the privacy zone is created, all data stored there will be encrypted using the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES-256). FYI AES was defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 1997 to replace the aging DES encryption standard. As with all Symmetrical Encryption (SE) encryption engines, with AES-256, if a (Secret) key is used to encrypt data, the exact same (Secret) key must be used to decrypt the data. Without that exact same (Secret) key, the encoded data would be a useless string of garbled data (i.e., senseless appearing gibberish).
The “key,” to coin a phrase, to the whole thing is this; without a valid password, unauthorized access to the privacy zone is blocked, and the data remains encrypted and protected. Whenever the DTS is connected to a host computer somewhere, the MyDataZone console needs to be used to log into and access the privacy zone. This is very important, and makes the DTS stand out over other similar UFDs, which may only have password protected privacy zones, i.e., their data is most likely not encoded, or encrypted like that on the DTS.
DTS has a factory-set limit that locks the privacy zone after 10 consecutive failed attempts to log in. This limit blocks “Brute Force Attacks,” in which programs run by Hackers, et al., are used to test millions of password combinations to find the correct password. After 10 consecutive invalid attempts, both DTS drives will automatically lock out the privacy zone. The only, repeat only, option left at this point is to reformat the drive, thus losing all the encrypted data stored in the privacy zone.
Extreme Caution Reminder. When you: 1) Create a Privacy Zone; 2) Forget a Password; or, 3) Alter the size of your Privacy Zone, the DTS is FORMATTED, and all data will be lost.
Caveat. “Always Back Up Your Data First” when you attempt any of the above three (3) activities.
Hardware-based, Real Time
Encryption and Decryption
As mentioned above and as a quick review of the Encryption and Decryption process, cryptography is the science of encrypting and decrypting digital data by using a special “key” to encode (i.e., make unreadable gibberish out of the data) and to decode the data (i.e., return the gibberish back to its “original” clear text).
DTS features one of the industry’s best, most robust data encryption capabilities, which is embedded in the Flash memory controller on the drive itself, the AES-256 encryption/decryption engine. Whether encrypting or decrypting, the AES-256 encryption engine processes the data in real-time. Encrypted data is immediately stored in the privacy area, and decrypted data immediately becomes available for use, as desired. As a reminder, without the unique 32 character 256-bit Secret “key,” which is uniquely generated for DTS using a true random number generator, encrypted data is “nearly impossible to decode.” The designation “nearly impossible to decode” must be used here of necessity, because nothing should be impossible for the “No Such Agency” guys, on that you can bet. All others must “Be Aware!” Said, “Beware!”
Important Note. This is what separates the fast, real-time DTS hardware-based AES-256 encryption and decryption from software-based encryption and decryption. Using software-based programs, the User has to explicitly run a program to encrypt/decrypt their data. When the data are encrypted, it is then copied to the USB Flash drive being used. Since the encryption software resides on the host computer, the encryption and decryption process takes up additional processor resources, thereby reducing overall system performance, etc., etc.
Bingo! DTS is the clear hands down winner here, because it is hardware-based, and as such, there is no performance penalty when storing files in either the public or the privacy zones within the DTS’s drive memory storage - and not on the host PC. Remember, this is all supposed to be about portable stuff! ;-}
Which when translated means, using hardware encryption on both drives (DTS and DTSP) does not expose the AES Secret “key” to host computers and/or networks, which further increases security. Consequently, the encrypted User password and the AES Secret “key” are never shared outside of either the DTS (or the DTSP) drives themselves.
MyTraveler/MyDataZone
MyTraveler is DataTraveler Secure’s tool that enables a User to access and customize the DTS through a console, thereby making the DTS more personal, fun and easier to use.
The “new” MyDataZone, enabled by the DTS platform, is very easy to use, secure and delivers industry leading performance. It is the software tool that sets up the operational areas and procedures to run the DTS efficiently. The combination of enhanced hardware with a Hi-speed USB 2.0 interface enables the User to start working immediately and easily secure all confidential data.
Included on the actual DTS itself is: a) A neat 16 page (.pdf) manual on the proper setup and use of MyTraveler, and b) A 16 page (.pdf) manual on the proper use of MyDataZone. A couple of key points are worth mentioning here:
1. You can only use MyTraveler on computers that you have Administrator Privileges
2. Enable/Disable write protecting action is actually accomplished via the MyTraveler Console Menu, unlike many other similar USB Devices that use a mechanical On/Off switch on the device itself
Note. You can also change your Password without losing all the data in the Privacy Zone
3. After you have created a Privacy Zone, Logging In/Logging Out of the Privacy Zone is very important to understand. You can only Log into your Privacy Zone by entering a “valid” Password (the User can even create a “password hint” if it is ever needed - and I always do!). FYI The Password is real easy to change too!.
4. When you are Logged In, a flash screen informs you that you are in the Privacy Zone. To Log Out simply click the Log Out icon and return to the Public Zone
5. Exactly like any other Hard Drive, Dragging and Dropping files (DnD) onto the DTS is a major feature of the DTS. You can even Synchronize your work between two (2) computers. A number of pages in the Manual are dedicated to these functions for you
6. The “Send To” feature on DTS is available by right clicking any file and selecting Send To > Kingston DTS (applicable Drive Letter)
One Last Feature
Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Interface and Waterproof Protection
Because the USB 2.0 Hi-Speed standard is actually a range (for more information, please see Kingston’s Flash Memory Guide at <www.kingston.com/products/pdf_files/FlashMemGuide.pdf>, every product offers a different performance level despite having the same Hi-Speed USB logo. Both DTS and DTSP drives feature advanced Flash controllers, therefore deliver outstanding performance all the time.
Lastly, for added protection, the DTS drives are designed to withstand harsh operating conditions, and feature waterproof titanium-coated stainless steel casings. This coating protects the drives against water damage, even if they’re submerged in depths of up to four (4) feet.
OK! So, Was That Enough
Differences To Make
All This Worthwhile?
In summary, Kingston’s DTS and DTSP drives are state-of-the-art, advanced security, high-performance USB Flash drives. They are ideally suited for business organizations as well as advanced consumers seeking the advanced security of fast, secure, hardware-based AES encryption using the near-ubiquitous high-performance USB 2.0 interface. Bottom line. The DataTraveler Secure delivers fast, smart, powerful, secure and easy data transfers whether you are backing up critical information or simply transporting files between systems.
DataTraveler Secure’s Hi-Speed Ultra high performance (i.e., the speed of a memory chip and the portability of a floppy, coupled with enhanced security capabilities), incredible combination of huge storage capacities, great flexibility, data security, and that certain (number 1 in-the-world) “Kingston quality” have been merged into a single Hi-Speed USB 2.0 portable Hard Drive platform. Moreover, DTS drives provide an easy method for fast downloading and transferring digital files while holding up to more than 500-times (i.e., DTS 512MB), all the way up to 4,000-times (i.e., DTS 4GB), the capacity of a standard floppy disk.
And from my personal interest vantage point, here’s the most important part of all, with TravelerSafe Secure and Kingston’s custom software, your data can now be Password protected and AES 256-bit encrypted. Now that’s security with a capitol “S.”
Epilog
(Source: Information Week 11-04-06)
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see and take advantage of the benefits of the 4GB Kingston DataTraveler Secure USB Drive with its unbelievable adaptability, usefulness and ease of use, the vast amount of storage space available (thus making “Floppies” virtually extinct), the ease of transport and handling, its life expectancy of more than 10 years, and the added security of “Password protection and encryption” of your important “Stuff.” Besides, the DTS just “seems” to work smoother than some of the other UFDs in my collection; but then, it just may be favoritism creeping in there somewhere?
As I loudly proclaimed before in the DT2 review, “Without question, they [DataTraveler Secure’s, et al.] are the transports of the future (i.e., for ease of going between multiple PCs without having a network to deal with).” No floppy disks, no CD ROMs to play with; they’re simply “Secure Pocket-sized Hard Disks for the long haul/run.”
I am proud to proclaim, “I can now travel the world over and safely demonstrate my patented IT on almost any computer, all because the application is hidden deep in the bowels of DataTraveler Secure’s Privacy Zone (i.e., protected by a password and it is encrypted).” Great products like Kingston’s DataTraveler Secure are yet another truly great place to start protecting your data, and pleasing yourselves as well. With the drastically falling prices of UFDs, You will have one - or more - of these fabulous playthings, too! “It’s not a question of if, but when.” If you haven’t taken the plunge yet, what’s holding you back? Go for it! Come on in, the waters great!
Ciao