Toshiba Unveils Advanced Self-Encrypting Hard Drives
April 12, 2011 09:04pm EST
When it comes to protecting hard drive data, standard encryption is usually the first—and often the last—thing most people think of. But Toshiba has just announced its own expansion of that idea with the release of its first family of self-encrypting hard drives, the MKxx61GSYG models, that automatically invalidate protected data when connected to an unfamiliar system.
Self-encrypting drives in the MKxx61GSYG-family drives use 256-bit AES encryption, but may also be configured with data invalidation attributes that can scramble or deny access to protected data via user command, when the machine's power cycles, or even when a host authentication error occurs.
According to Toshiba, the drives are intended primarily for professional use, in situations where specific privacy requirements and data security requirements must be met. In addition to traditional PCs, the company also cited copiers and multifunction printers and point-of-sale systems in government, financial, and medical fields as among target applications.
The new drive family's technology builds on the Trusted Computing Group (TCG) "Opal" specification, which per the TCG Web site "provides a secure boot capability (pre-boot authentication) as well as protection of user data from compromise due to the loss, theft, repurposing or end of life of the storage device. Furthermore Opal SSC provides administrative capabilities that allow administrative functions such as user enrollment and media management."
In a statement, Toshiba Storage Device Division Product Manager Scott White said, "Digital systems vendors recognize the need to help their customers protect sensitive data from leakage or theft. Toshiba's security technologies provide designers of copiers, printers, PCs, and other systems with new capabilities to help address these important security concerns."
Toshiba did not provide pricing information for the drives in the MKxx61GSYG family, but did reveal that they will be available in capacities ranging from 160GB to 640GB, have rotational speeds of 7,200 rpm, and use the 3-Gbps SATA II interface. The drives are being demonstrated at Toshiba's Tokyo headquarters this week; volume production and distribution will occur later this quarter. pcmag.com
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