News

posted on 19 April 2008 16:31

MXI Security has announced a Stealth MXP thumb drive that can store an entire and encrypted PC software image with fingerprint access protection. If it's lost or stolen worry not; no-one else can read the data.

The Stealth MXP has an 8GB flash memory capacity with a fingerprint reader on its 9cm long casing. The contents are encrypted and access requires a password and a finger. Without this combination no-one can read the data encrypted inside it.

Losing a laptop with sensitive data on it becomes much less of a problem. Take the data off it and write it onto the Stealth MXP where it is encrypted with a layer of biometrically-protection as well. You don't even need to take a laptop with you on your travels. 

Take this thumb drive instead and load it up onto a host machine at your destination and you will see your known PC desktop environment and have access to the sensitive data on the drive.

An entire PC software image can be stored on the gadget and virtually any PC can be used as a host. Once your session is finished all tell-tale traces are wiped out. Back at your home office the device can be plugged into your main PC and the contents synchronised with that as well as its contents backed up.

That means that, if you do lose it, then a replacement device can be easily loaded with the same PC software image and files.

London-based MXI Security President Gerard Reusing said: "Even if you're really careful, a hacker is going to find personal information on a stolen laptop. It's pretty simple to get into someone's address book, to look at their browsing history, and to open any documents stored on the hard drive. In many cases, the data that's on the laptop is more valuable than the machine itself."

"Instead of making it difficult for users by adding cumbersome security measures, we've taken the step of encrypting the entire portable operating system - so that data is protected by default."

Prices for the Stealth MXP start at £95.

Kingston
KIngston announced its encrypted 8GB capacity USB thumb drive last week, the DataTraveler BlackBox. This is USA is FIPS-certified and boasts 256-bit AES encryption. However it does not have the extra biometric protection layer of finger print access.

^{[Paul Roberts, news editor.]}