iStorage datAshur PRO 64GB Encrypted USB Flash Drive Review

Introduction iStorage datAshur PRO Encrypted USB Flash Drive Recently, I had a close look at iStorage's diskAshur2 portable HDD and it was a joy. I expect that feeling to continue today where I will be testing the iStorage datAshur PRO encrypted flash drive (product link). It has a lot of the same features but comes in thumbs-drive form-factor instead of being a portable HDD. The datAshur Pro is a USB 3.0 flash drive in the conventional sense, at least partly. You have the options of five capacities ranging from 4GB to 64GB. Should you require more storage than that, then iStorage has plenty of other solutions which will offer you terabytes of storage. Want the Highest Level of Security? Those who wish the highest level of security will need something special, like the datAshur PRO. The datAshur PRO starts out hard with FIPS 140-2 Level3 validation, NLNCSA certification, and FIPS PUB 197 certification. From there it continuous just as strong with an IP57 resistance against water and dust. Everything is hardware independent thanks to built-in hardware. That also includes the AES 256-bit encryption of your files. All hardware-based. That is much the same as it was with the HDD but in a more affordable setup. Pre-Entry of PIN While a lot is the same or similar to the HDD version we've seen previously, some things aren't. The datAshur PRO flash drive requires you to enter the PIN before you plug the drive into your system. It works by the flash drive having a small internal battery, allowing it to power up before it's inserted. This is a very useful feature as it might become very difficult to enter the PIN while the drive is plugged into the back of your chassis. Or perhaps you want to plug it into something like a monitor and the casing blocks the access. Whatever might be in the way of your convenience is no problem due to the pre-entry. Hardware Unlocking Against Logging The physical keys have a huge bonus when compared to software solutions. You'll never need to worry about keyloggers and other malware intercepting your PIN. Since everything is handled internally within the datAshur PRO, it never enters the system and there's nothing which could be logged. Manual and Usage The included quick start is only a 3-folded small piece of information, but that's okay. It holds the two most important information: How to unlock the drive and how to change the default PIN code. The actions are quite easy and remembered within seconds. Key-icon, PIN, key-icon to unlock the drive while the sequence for pin change is 2x Key-icon, PIN, 2x Key-icon new PIN, 2x Key-icon, new PIN, 2x Key-icon. While that technically is enough to know, there is quite a bit more. Luckily the drive contains a 23 page manual on the drive with all the instructions you'll need. Here you can learn how to enable a user besides the admin, set timeout locks, and enable read-only modes. It has a full description of how to reset the device too, in case you forget the pin. However, that will cost you all data stored on the drive. Unpack and Use it Straight Away The datAshur PRO is completely platform independent. You don't need any driver and there is no software to install. Since everything is hardware-based, it works out of the box. Whether you have a Mac, Linux, Chrome, Android, or Windows system, it will work. Just as it will work with thin clients, embedded systems and anything else with USB host ports. That is simplicity at its finest: Plug and play with the best in security features. Built to Last with a Rugged Design We have a drive that is built to last with iStorage's datAshur PRO. It doesn't just come with a whole lot of security as we'll get into on the next page, but also physical protection. The drive is built with an aluminium casing and it is crush resistant. The cap also protects the keys from physical stress during transport. Further, the datAshur PRO is IP57 rated which means two things. Ingress of dust is not entirely prevented, but it must not enter in sufficient quantity to interfere with the satisfactory operation of the equipment. Ingress of water in harmful quantity shall not be possible when the enclosure is immersed in 1-meter water for 30min. Multiple Users You are not limited to just one user/PIN with iStorage devices. The datAshur allows you to set a user pin too next to the admin pin. Users can get access to the drive, but not change the vital settings. Official Product Video In the event that you still are confused, iStorage got you covered. The official product video explains how to use it and why you would want to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYKbo1Y8rDE Feature Highlights USB 3.0 Flash Drive Capacities up to 64GB FIPS 140-2 Level3 validated with Cert. No. 2688 NLNCSA certified FIPS PUB 197 certified IP57 certified – water/dust resistant Bootable drive AES 256- bit hardware encryption – no software required OS & Platform independent Package and Accessories The iStorage datAshur PRO comes as most flash drives do, in a blister package. The included drive is visible and surrounded by the drive's feature highlights. The rear side has an explanation of the usage and the unique features of this drive. Inside is the drive, the drive cap, and a small quick-start guide to get you going. On the drive, itself is the full manual in PDF format which also can be downloaded from the official website. Security Features Now that we know what the drive is all about, it is time to get more technical. After all, that's what sets this drive apart from everything else. Tamper Evident and Proof Design iStorage built the drive in such a way that it isn't possible to get inside without noticing it. In order to gain access to the critical components inside and tamper with them, you have to physically break the enclosure. That is something you'll notice. The protection continues on the inside where all critical components are covered by a layer of super tough epoxy resin. Even in the event that someone manages to get to this point, breaking the drive open and removing the resin without damaging the components, it won't help them much. Why? Because next they are greeted by a Common Criteria EAL4+ Ready secure microprocessor in addition to several other impenetrable defence mechanisms. Certified to the Latest Government Certifications The diskAshur2 is certified to the latest government certifications which include FIPS 140-2 level 3, NCSC CPA, common criteria and NLNCSA. It is also compliant with the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In the EU, if a company loses an EU citizens data, it can get really bad. You can be fined up to €20 million or 4% of your global turnover. Whichever is higher. But there's no need to worry about such things in the event that your drive is stolen or you leave it on a train or bus. No one will get in and the controller complies with Article 34 of the GDPR. Enhanced Encryption Technology The drive offers advanced portable data security via built-in FIPS PUB 197 validated AES-XTS 256-bit hardware encryption engine. The security component employs physical protection mechanisms to protect itself from any external tamper, bypass. The security lock feature protects the device against any unauthorised firmware modifications from the host side. That also means that it is fully protected against BadUSB. Brute-Force Hacking Detection The drive is protected against brute-force attacks too. While that's a low-tech approach, it could be a viable one without this protection. If you fail to enter the user pin correctly 10 times, only the admin will be able to access the content. If that pin is entered wrong 10 times, all data will be lost too and a new encryption key will be generated by the built-in random number generator. Wear Resistant Keypad You don't want to give possible attackers anything to work with, which includes not writing the pin on a sticker and place that on the drive. That's a given. But what about the keypad? Well, there is nothing to worry about with a datAshur Pro. The keypad is epoxy coated for wear resistance which means that continuous use and worn down keys won't expose you. Drive Customisation iStorage offers a lot of customization features for their drives, allowing you to get a drive which matched its usage. It begins small with laser etching on the sleeve. As you can see in the photo below, the company added my name to the drive before sending it out. This isn't a time-consuming process either as it didn't affect delivery time in any way. You can also get a message printed on the side of the drive, for example: If found, call 'your number here'. The datAshur Pro can also be completely rebranded so that it reflects your company’s individual look, but a minimum order quantity (MOQ) applies here. The drives can be sent out with unique pre-programmed PINs for both user and admins and it's even possible to get files or software pre-installed onto the drive. A true out-of-the-box usage. Test Setup & Methodology Data Fillage There are many ways to test a storage drive, and we have chosen to include close to every test possible. We will start with a typical benchmark analysis of the formatted drive with various village scenarios. To see the impact it might have, the drive will be tested empty as well as with 25%, 50%, and 75% space usage. For these tests, we will be using Anvil’s Storage Utilities, AS SSD Benchmark, ATTO Benchmark, and CrystalDiskMark. Application and Gaming Performance Besides these synthetic fill tests, the drive is tested with PCMark 8’s storage benchmark to get real-world performance results. Plain Drive Performance Following the fillage tests, the partition gets removed, and we check the drive’s raw performance. These tests will determine the hardware’s capabilities while eliminating any interference from the set file system. AIDA64’s storage benchmark is a great tool for this, and it helps us paint an even clearer picture of the drive. Hardware Supermicro C7Z270-PG Intel Core i7-7700K Crucial Ballistix Sport DDR4 2400MHz (4x8GB) Toshiba OCZ VX500 512GB SSD be quiet! Dark Power Pro 11 (1200W) Noctua NH-D15S Software used: AIDA64 Storage Benchmark Anvil's Storage Utilities AS SSD Benchmark ATTO Benchmark CrystalDiskMark PCMark 8 Storage Benchmark Windows 10 Pro Each of the following pages will contain the benchmark screenshots with 0% and 75% data fillage for the base apps. The comparing charts will show the drives with 0% fillage for comparison reasons. The analysis charts show us how steady the performance is as the drive fills up. AIDA64 Storage Benchmark AIDA64 is a streamlined Windows diagnostic and benchmarking software for home users with a broad range of features to assist in overclocking, hardware error diagnosis, stress testing, and sensor monitoring. The Linear Read and Write tests measure the sequential performance by reading or writing all sectors without skipping any. It gives us a view of the drives overall performance from start to end. The Random Read and Write tests measure the random performance by reading or writing variable-sized data blocks at random locations on the surface of the drive. The Random tests are a combination of both speed and access times as it moves the position before each new operation. The Access time tests are designed to measure the data access performance by reading or writing small 0.5KB data blocks at random locations on the drive surface. Drive Performance Analysis The drive performance analysis is more of a chart view of the above images. As AIDA works best with a non-partitioned drive, it isn't possible to fill the drive up. Drive Comparison Anvil's Storage Utilities Anvil’s Storage Utilities is a complete benchmark solution used to test any writeable storage drive. It also has a drive endurance test that consistently reads and writes data to the selected medium to deliver days, months, and potentially even years of use in a shorter period. 0% Data Fillage 75% Data Fillage Drive Performance Analysis The drive performance analysis will show how the drive handles itself while it fills up with data. Drive Comparison For the purpose of drive comparison, I will be using the performance figures from both unconditioned and conditioned tests with 0% data-fill. AS SSD Benchmark The AS SSD software determines the performance of Solid State Drives (SSD). The tool contains five synthetic and three practice tests. The synthetic tests determine the sequential and random read and write performance of the SSD, and they aren't using the operating system cache. 0% Data Fillage 75% Data Fillage Drive Performance Analysis The drive performance analysis will show how the drive handles itself while it fills up with data. Drive Comparison For the purpose of drive comparison, I will be using the performance figures from both unconditioned and conditioned tests with 0% data-fill. ATTO The ATTO Disk Benchmark performance measurement tool is compatible with Microsoft Windows. Measure your storage systems performance with various transfer sizes and test lengths for reads and writes. Several options are available to customise your performance measurement including queue depth, overlapped I/O and even a comparison mode with the option to run continuously. 0% Data Fillage 75% Data Fillage Drive Performance Analysis The drive performance analysis will show how the drive handles itself while it fills up with data. Drive Comparison For the purpose of drive comparison, I will be using the performance figures from both unconditioned and conditioned tests with 0% data-fill. CrystalDiskMark CrystalDiskMark is a small HDD and SSD benchmark utility that allows you to measure a drive's sequential and random performance. 0% Data Fillage 75% Data Fillage Drive Performance Analysis The drive performance analysis will show how the drive handles itself while it fills up with data. Drive Comparison For the purpose of drive comparison, I will be using the performance figures from both unconditioned and conditioned tests with 0% data-fill. PCMark 8 Storage Benchmark With PCMark 8 Storage benchmark, you can test the performance of drives with traces recorded from Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office and a selection of games. You can test any recognised storage device, including local external drives. Unlike synthetic storage tests, the PCMark 8 Storage benchmark highlights real-world performance differences between storage devices. Final Thoughts Pricing and Availability At the time of review, the iStorage datAshur PRO can be yours for £129.52 and $150 through Amazon. You can also get the drive directly from iStorage which is needed in the event that you want the customisation options. The price is the same, £129 for the 64GB model, and laser etching will usually cost an extra of £5. Conclusion It was a joy to have the iStorage datAshur PRO flash drive in our lab today, which honestly doesn't come as a surprise. The drive offers you the best pocket-sized security you could ask for. Compatibility is one of iStorage's strong points. Everything is hardware-based which not only removes any performance impact, it also makes the drive compatible with close to any USB host. iPhones and iPads are the only exceptions that I'm aware of. The hardware also eliminates the need for any kind of software. You might not have the rights to install software everywhere. An extra piece of software also offers multiple new attack vectors for evil-minded people. But with a datAshur PRO, you don't need to worry about that. The drive is a combination of some of the best protection methods available. The external drive is tamper evident which means that it's impossible to open it without leaving visible marks and damages. If someone should manage to break it open anyway, in order to gain access to the physical hardware - they'll be disappointed. Every vital part is covered with a super-tough epoxy which its nearly impossible to remove. At least without damaging the component. But even if someone should manage that, we'll won't get further. As the data itself is encrypted with AES 256-bit, it's another dead end. Overall, the datAshur PRO is a flash drive with all the security measures you could want. That also explains why the drive meets government rules and is certified to be used with the most sensitive types of data. Pros Hardware-based protection Wear-resistant physical keypad Host independent through hardware-based features Normal flash drive performance, size, and weight NLNCSA, FIBS PUB 197, ICO, GDPR compliant and/or certified Cons None "iStorage datAshur PRO offers pocket-sized security without compromise! It's that simple." We would like to thank iStorage for this review sample.