Disclaimer: Bronwen was lucky enough to be offered a review sample of the datAshur PRO+C secure storage usb – the world’s first and only FIPS 140-3 Level 3 Validated PIN protected, hardware encrypted, USB 3.2 (Gen1) Type-C flash drive!
As someone who’s suddenly found themselves very frequently on the move, a sturdy, secure and dependable USB was what I needed… did I ever imagine using one that’s a world first and encrypted to next-level standard? Well, not quite! Introducing the datAshur PRO+C secure USB.
What better way to celebrate CYBER SECURITY MONTH! Here’s a little description from the iStorage website to give you a better idea:
The drive’s advanced security features provide complete data security and guarantees maximum protection of your data at all times. Built into the drive is a rechargeable battery, allowing the user to enter an 8 -15 digit PIN via the on-board keypad before connecting the device to a USB port. The datAshur PRO+C cannot be accessed without the user’s unique PIN, giving users peace of mind that their data is safe from prying eyes if their drive is lost or stolen, as without the PIN, there’s no way IN!
How safe is it really? Although I love my tech, I don’t consider myself to be anything near an expert on cyber security, so I enlisted someone who is (and who does this as a full-time job at West Lothian College) to give me some better insight.
But first…
Key benefits
So, we know the datAshur PRO+C claims to be super secure, but what else can we expect from this super impressive-looking USB? Before we get right into it, here’s a list of the full benefits:
- Easy to use
- FIPS 140-3Level 3 Validated!
- Tamper proof and evident design
- Wear resistant keypad
- Rugged, shockproof and crushproof
- Water and Dust resistant (IP68)
- Independent User and Admin PINs
- Read-Only (write protect) – Dual Mode
- Ultrafast transfer speeds
- OS and Platform independent
- Brute Force Protection
- Auto-lock
- Drive Reset
- Whitelisting on networks
Unboxing
Opening the box, we have the USB drive, case, and a USB C to USB A adapter – and a quick start guide! Super helpful, as you’re guided through exactly what to do with your new device.
Setting and testing a PIN
Now, you can pick any PIN code between 8 – 15 numbers, so I personally chose something really secure. I found having a PIN pad that blinks at you to be a little intimidating, so was very grateful for this guide that showed me exactly what all the coloured lights and flashes mean.
Also, the PIN pad is really quite small, so it’s something you need to get used to.
Thankfully, you can enter your PIN before you plug the USB into a device, otherwise typing in the correct 8 – 15 numbers might be significantly more of a challenge!
However, I managed to set up my PIN would any issues, and now I can go forth and use my new USB!
But wait… how fast does it write? I’d better check…
Speed test
The datAshur PRO+C promises a read speed of up to 310MB/s, and a write speed of up to 246MB/s. But what if I test it? Can it live up to these claims? Let’s find out!
Let’s be completely fair on the fancy USB, by first speed testing an external SSD. Here’s what we got:
Now, let’s test a standard Sandisk USB C memory stick:
Okay, these aren’t too bad. Now, how does the datAshur PRO+C compare in terms of speed?
Hmmmm. It’s a LOT slower to read and write than promised, and much slower than the other two drives we tested first. HOWEVER, we’ve got to remember that the reason for this is the fact it’s encrypting the data as it goes.
The bog-standard Sandisk USB C memory stick has almost double the read speed, but is around half the write speed. However it only costs about £22 for the same capacity (mine costs £232.80 including VAT and shipping to the UK), so you’re paying a lot for the security features.
An old NVME SSD tossed into to an external enclosure gets around 7x the read and write performance and would still cost much less than the encrypted USB despite being double the capacity.
In conclusion, the datAshur PRO+C only really makes sense if security is your primary objective.
Security
This is where I brought in my cyber security expert (who shall remain unnamed for… you guessed it! Security reasons).
He was very impressed with the encryption level of the datAshur PRO+C (All data stored on the device is encrypted using FIPS PUB 197 validated, AES-XTS 256-bit hardware encryption), and the fact that the USB doesn’t even show up to Windows devices when still encrypted.
He didn’t have the time to test out any kind of hacking tools, so for now we’ll have to take iStorage’s word that the system is brute force-resistant.
According to the expert, a 15-digit numeric code would average about 10 minutes to crack, which could only be a possibiliy if the USB were dismantled and a computer directly soldered to the encryption chip to enter the digits – if that was even possible with this chip.
EDIT. I asked iStorage whether this was possible, and they responded with the following: “All components incorporated within the datAshur PRO+C are completely covered by a layer of super tough epoxy resin, which is virtually impossible to remove without causing permanent damage to the components. The drive is also designed to be tamper-evident making it obvious to the User if it has been pried open and tampered with.” — Nice!
By hand, using the keypad it could take up to 400 million years! It would be a lot shorter if people used words and t9 as that would be less random – however, the datAshur PRO+C also locks you out after 10 tries (that may just be for the user account, and assumes that the admin one isn’t guessed first).
Our expert considers it a great tool for cyber security students to possibily have a play around with, if the cost could be justified (it might not be at the moment).
To sum it up…
The security on the datAshur PRO+C is mightily impressive, and if security is your top priority (and budget isn’t an issue – as it can be very pricey depending on which size you opt for), I’d say go for it. However, if you’re less in need of world-first level encryption and you favour speed, you may wish to reconsider.
Now I have it, I’m glad to be travelling with the 256GB datAshur PRO+C on my long commutes, and the security of my files is now much less of a concern. So, thanks, iStorage!
What do you think of Bronwen’s review of the datAshur PRO+C? Could it be worth it to keep your data safe? Comment below, or forever hold your peace!
