Kingston Introduces High-Security USB Flash DrivesKingston Introduces High-Security USB Flash Drives

This month Kingston Technology will introduce its first USB flash drives that meet Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) standards.The new DataTraveler BlackBox drives will meet the security requirement set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for use in government applications. Their use is not limited to governmental organizations, of course.

The waterproof drives contain a dedicated processor that performs 256-bit AES encryption and decryption on the fly. The drives perform a Power On Self Test to verify the encryption architecture is functioning before they can be used, and lock down after ten consecutive failed password attempts. The BlackBox drives will be offered in 2GB, 4GB and 8GB capacities at $165, $242, and $424, respectively.

Kingston's drives join SanDisk's Cruzer Enterprise FIPS models announced last week in the high-security flash drive marketplace. SanDisk's drives, with similar security features, come in 1GB, 2GB, 4GB and 8GB capacities for $87, $144, $217 and $385, respectively.Twice.com, Electronista