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Where you encrypt is key

Pete Steege

Pete Steege

March 4, 2008

Full Disk Encryption is the elegant solution to elaborately hacked passwords

 pick-a-lock.jpg

Engadget has recently raised the alarm over gaps in software-based encryption security.  First, they reported that keys can be recovered from DRAM with a complex but possible process.  Next, they pointed out that thumb drives could be used in a simpler variation of the technique.

Good news:  you can close this gap with a hard drive with Full Disc Encryption (FDE), like the Momentus 5400 FDE.

  • The cryptographic key never leaves the hard drive
  • It’s stored on an ASIC in the hard drive with no probe points
  • Any attempt to remove the ASIC from the drive package locks the drive and cuts power to the chip, erasing its memory

For those serious about security, stop messing with bandaids and lock it down tight. Here’s a more detailed description of this.

 I’ve posted several times on data security and encryption issues.

This entry was written by Pete Steege, posted on March 4, 2008 at 7:43 pm, filed under Notebook PC and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.

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3 Trackbacks

  1. By NSA blesses Seagate secure drives « Storage Effect on May 15, 2008 at 6:04 am

    [...] it can’t be hacked the way software-based PC data encryption schemes can. Just don’t lose your password!  That’s why key management is such an essential part [...]

  2. By The Storage Effect » NSA blesses Seagate secure drives on August 27, 2009 at 11:05 am

    [...] it can’t be hacked the way software-based PC data encryption schemes can. Just don’t lose your password!  That’s why key management is such an essential part [...]

  3. By The Storage Effect » The “evil maid” hack can’t touch self-encrypting drives on October 28, 2009 at 2:16 pm

    [...] like hacks before it (remember Cold Boot?), the Evil Maid doesn’t work on self-encrypting hard drives like those from Seagate.  [...]

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