iStoragedatAshur PRO 16 GB - Encrypted USB Memory Stick - FIPS 140-2 Level 3 Certified - Password protected - Dust/Water Resistant

The Datashur is a recently released USB drive from iStorage. It comes in three storage sizes: 4, 8 and 16GB. Similar in concept to the USB hard drives from iStorage, these USB drives offer hardware encryption fully authenticated by a user-defined PIN which is entered directly via keys on the unit itself. In order to accommodate PIN entry, the device includes a rechargeable battery, which is charged automatically when inserted into a USB port.The unit is small enough to sit alongside other devices plugged into adjacent USB ports but, in order to accommodate the need for a keypad, the device is longer that most other USB drives. I would certainly recommend using a short USB male/female cable to plug the device into your PC, just to ensure no damage is caused to it or your PC when in use. The other advantage of using a cable is that it allows PIN entry on the unit when the drive is already plugged into your PC.Operation of the device is simplicity itself, though a little fiddly due to the necessarily compact size of the keypad. Keypad entry is reliable but the keys are small and have only a small amount of travel and would be difficult for someone with dexterity problems. The keys have clear legends and the inclusion of alphanumerics on the keypad (similar to a phone keypad) means you can use a more easily remembered alphanumeric PIN (rather than hard to remember numeric-only PINs on competing devices). The keys legends appear to be quite durable and unlikely to wear with use (a problem encountered by a few similar products).Until you enter a PIN onto the device your computer will not recognise it as a disk drive, so your valuable data is completely protected. When you unplug the device or the USB port ceases to provide power, the unit will automatically lock and PIN re-entry will be required in order for the drive to become visible again. The PIN has to be 7-15 characters in length, giving billions of possible combinations. If an incorrect PIN is entered 10 times in succession, the encryption key and your disk contents are deleted - making it impervious to brute force attacks!Entry of a PIN onto the unit itself completely ensures your valuable PIN cannot be captured by any malware on your computer; it also means that the device requires no authentication software, making it platform independent. During PIN creation and PIN entry, two status lights guide you and give acknowledgement of wrong or correct PIN entry. A third (rather bright) blue light shows when data is being transmitted from/to the drive.Once entered, the PIN makes the disk's single partition entirely visible to the Host PC. So, paranoid users may want to use additional measures in order to protect individual files when connecting the drive to unknown host. One thing I would like to have seen on this drive is some degree of plausible deniability in the encryption system. For systems with on-board PIN authentication this could be achieved by the use of a second partition that is only visible upon entry of a second PIN.The Datashur drive works with a Windows PC, Mac, Linux or any other system that has a USB port that can recognise USB drives formatted to FAT32 - even printers and embedded systems! You can, of course, format the drive to NTFS or other format available on your system, but at the expense of platform independence, so FAT32 is really recommended for most users.On first insertion into a Windows PC, the necessary drivers are automatically downloaded from Microsoft update - this took just a matter of seconds for me; I am not sure what happens on other systems. No software is included with the unit because it does not need any. A full user manual is included on the drive and there is also a credit card-size durable instruction sheet to carry in your wallet.The unit looks physically robust, though no claims are made as to its ability to withstand crushing or temperature extremes but the Datashur does have a certificate for water resistance. One thing I do like is the very secure metal cable for attaching to a keyring etc - unlike the flimsy 'string' seen on some competing products. Inside, the unit is physically protected from hackers by encasing everything in epoxy resin Should anyone attempt to open the unit then breaking open the epoxy resin should destroy the unit, so that your valuable data cannot be extracted by use of a microscope! When not in use, the entire unit is protected by a sturdy aluminium case.The encryption used is top-notch military-grade AES 256 bit. The encryption key is not held in memory but in hashed form on the built-in cryptographic chip. This makes the encryption key virtually impervious to discovery or accidental deletion. It is simply not necessary to retain a copy of the encryption key on any other device (a weakness suffered by software-based systems).The user can generate a new encryption key at any time but this will wipe the drive's contents - so be sure to backup first. Again, unlike some competing drives, a new encryption key can be generated on-the-fly any number of times; other, presumably less secure devices, have a limited number of encryption keys built-n during manufacture.iStorage have applied for FIS 140-2 Level 3 certification for this product and expect to achieve this in March 2012. This is really the US Government's gold standard that encrypted drive manufacturers strive for. I think you can fully expect a 10-20% price rise when this occurs, so buy your Datashur encrypted USB drive now!

Brilliant! Despite some reviews claiming that it was difficult, if not impossible, to change the built-in security code to one user-chosen, I ordered this rather expensive flash drive and I was not disappointed. It really does what it claims to do; the code system is great, I was able to change it to my chosen character-and-numbers code (on my second attempt, it is true, but then I had failed to follow the instructions correctly the first time) and it is working beautifully ever since. I have been using it for almost a month now; it never fails to load, inserting the security code is as simple as in a hotel-room safe, for instance, and it feels really secure. I always carry with me, on a USB pen, an image of my credit cards, personal ID, driver's license and other important documents, in case the originals are lost or stolen, and I used to worry with the possibility of losing that pen and thus exposing my private data to anyone who would find it. This iStorage pen really solved my problem. It is an expensive gadget (and, unfortunately, I did pay for it the full price, therefore my review is not influenced by any offer or discount made by the manufacturer...), but I feel it is worth every penny.

This is an amazing little device. It's very simple to use and setup. You have to make sure you follow the steps correctly. Once you've entered the correct PIN 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4 you then enter your PIN. I find this device very secure for anybody wishing to hold personal sensitive files. With it having an inbuilt keyboard you basically prevent anybody from accessing it without the key. It also resets and wipes memory after 10 failed attempts which means there is absolutely no way somebody can guess your correct PIN in 10 attempts, making is secure against BRUTE FORCE ATTACKS.Ultimately worth it for anybody worried about security.

Updated as there was an error in key sequence:Having used the memory stick for a short period of time, I am updating my original review and increasing the number of stars I award it. I stand by what I originally said, setting the user code for the first time is an absolute nightmare, and that is with using the supplied instructions. But the memory stick is a great device.I will add some instructions here so you can see how to set the user code for the first time.Below I have given the button sequence on the device. The default PIN supplied is 11223344. The letter k below indicates you press the button with the key symbol. The text <enter_pin>, you substitute this for the multi digit PIN code you wish to use.Change User PIN Codek11223344 k <pause, wait until lights change, stick is unlocked> kk <enter_pin> kk <enter_pin> kkThe first k prepares the device to accept a PIN code. The memory stick powers up. The first kk tells the device to unlock. There will be a slight delay when this happens, around a second or two. So wait for the LEDs to change from red to green before progressing further.A tip: when you press kk, make it a rapid double press of the k button.Test the pin code you have entered. Either[1] Wait for the device to power off (this might take some time)[2] Plug in to a USB port, wait for the LEDs to stabilise (not flashing), then unplug it and it will turn off. This is quicker than [1].[3] Unlock the device - see instructions below[4] Verify the LEDs have turned from red to green. If this does not happen, an error has occurred whilst setting the PIN code.To unlock the device:k<enter_pin>kThere will be a short delay, wait until the illuminated LED changes from red to green, then plug the memory stick in to the USB port of your computer.