iStorage Datashur USB review

iStorage has offered up a USB drive that aims to meet the needs of business and government users who require military-grade security for their data.

The USB stick comes with an aluminium case that provides protection against water and dust. When sealed in the casing, the USB drive looks similar to any other memory stick, but sliding it out of its protective cover reveals a small but usable on-board keypad for entering a PIN. iStorage says the keypad ensures the USB drive is not vulnerable to keyloggers as the PIN is entered via the unit rather than a keyboard. The firm also points out using physical encryption helps to make sure the drive is not susceptible to viruses or brute force attacks.

The drive's LEDs inform the user of the status of the drive. For example, when you press the lock button the red and green lights flash indicating that you should now enter your PIN. If successfully entered, you will get the green light and if incorrect  you get the red light. It's all pretty straightforward. A bit of complex button pressing is required when you want to create user and admin passwords, but the instructions are clear and easy to follow.

To use the device you have to push the button with the key icon, enter your PIN and then connect up to a USB port within 30 seconds. If the device is not connected within this time then it automatically locks down and data is inaccessible until the PIN is typed in again.

Users have to set up a numerical password between seven and 15 digits in length. The device does not allow users to set up a password that has repeating numbers (3-3-3-3-3-3-3) or that is sequential (1-2-3-4-5-6-7). It is also possible to set up an admin password, which means data can be recovered even if the primary user forgets their password. This administrator access is likely to make the device very appealing to IT departments that are looking to deploy USB drives.

The drive comes with AES 256-bit hardware encryption built in and after 10 incorrect PIN attempts information becomes inaccessible. The drive creates a new encryption key, deletes the admin and user PINs and leaves the holder of the device with no option but to reformat the drive. The Datashur is capable of generating an infinite number of random encryption keys so it can be reset as often as required.

There are no software drivers and the USB works with PCs, Macs and Linux operating systems out-of-the-box. The drive offers read speeds of up to 27MB/s and write speeds of 24MB/s, although we averaged around speeds in the mid-teens during testing.

The device also comes with a built-in rechargeable battery to power the LEDs and the keypad. However, the device automatically charges when it is plugged into a USB slot, so we never ran out of battery. The only thing that we were disappointed with was the keyring, which we found to be a bit flimsy. You may want to think twice before attaching the USB to a key chain as it will slip off if you haven't tightened it properly.

The drive is available in 4GB, 8GB and 16GB options priced at £39, £59 and £79. This makes it cheaper than the Kingston DataTraveler 6000, which offers software-based protection and is available from £59 for 2GB.

Overall, the Datashur represents a very sound investment and is going to help users protect confidential information even if it is misplaced.

Capacity: 4GB, 8GB and 16GB
Speed: Up to 27MB/s read/ 24MB/s write
Dimensions: 80x20x10.5mm with sleeve
Weight: 25g
Durability: Waterproof MIL-STD-810F
Compatibility: USB 2.0, Windows, Mac OS, Linux
Encryption: AES Cipher-Block Chained mode
Encryption Keys: 256-bit Hardware