Maxtor BlackArmor External Hard drive

pic from http://www.ubergizmo.com

Now, First things first. I've not been a big fan of Maxtor, but since the merge with Seagate, this is the first product that has caught my eye. And what I saw was a kick-ass external hard drive that offers data encryption. A fully encrypted external storage you ask? Yep, this is a First.

BlackArmor, a name well suited for this device which was introduced January 6, 2008 at the 2008 INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW (CES) held at Las Vegas,Nevada.


Press release from http://www.seagate.com/

"Extending its lead in providing solutions to protect business and personal data from loss or theft, Seagate Technology today introduced at CES, the Maxtor® BlackArmor™ encrypting storage solution that provides AES government-grade encryption protection against unauthorized access to valuable and private information. The Maxtor BlackArmor solution is a 160GB portable storage device that delivers the confidence and reliability of robust security in a compact consumer-friendly design."


"Designed for those who have valuable information they wish to keep secure and private, the new Maxtor BlackArmor product is an attractive, portable solution that provides unparalleled security for direct attached storage devices. Using Seagate Secure™ technology, Maxtor’s BlackArmor drive is designed to keep data locked up and protected in the event of loss or theft. Seagate Secure technology is a hardware-based encryption, making the encryption transparent to the user and free of complicated installation and use procedures required by software based security.

The Maxtor BlackArmor external storage solution uses a government-grade AES encryption certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to deliver the strongest commercially available data security available for external storage. The Maxtor BlackArmor product provides transparent, real-time encryption of all the data on the device, not just selected files; providing performance and ease of use advantages over manual software-based security controls. The BlackArmor product also puts all security keys and cryptographic operations within the device, delivering stronger protection against hacking and tampering than traditional software alternatives. The BlackArmor product’s key encryption technology can also securely wipe out the data for simple, cost-effective redeployment or disposal of the product – an important capability for organizations of all sizes.

The introduction of the Maxtor BlackArmor solution comes as growing reports of compromised computer information continue to alarm consumers, underscoring the growing need for storage solutions that provide security and privacy for personal information. Since January 2005, more than 215 million computer records have been compromised, many the direct result of a lost or stolen desktop or laptop system or hard drive, USB thumb drive, smart phone or CD, according to The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a nonprofit consumer information and advocacy organization."

With a suggested retail price of just $149.99. This product is appealing both as a cool gadget to flaunt and a secure way to store your media.