Apricorn Adds 640 GB Hard Drive to Aegis Bio Line
Company says it added a larger hardware-encrypted, biometric hard drive in response to customer requests.
Apricorn added a 640 GB drive this week to its Aegis Bio line of hardware-encrypted biometric hard drives.
The Aegis Bio hard drives from Apricorn Inc. enable access upon fingerprint identification. The fingerprint sensor restricts unauthorized access to the drive while the Bio’s 128-bit AES hardware encryption protects data on the drive (“even if the drive is dismantled,” according to Apricorn).
The Aegis Bio incorporates its hardware-based Biometric protection with UPEK’s TouchStrip Fingerprint Sensor. The Digital ID Hardware Engine enables access to the Aegis Bio via a simple swipe of the finger. The Aegis Bio can also securely login to bookmarked sites via UPEK’s Protector Suite Token software. By using a fingerprint to login to Web sites, sensitive login data is protected from malicious key logging programs.
Once a fingerprint is registered, the Aegis Bio can be used on any USB equipped. All data on the drive is protected with real-time 128-bit AES hardware encryption via an Oxford Semiconductor storage controller chip.
“With portable drives needing to carry more personal data, the move to carry a higher capacity was a natural one,” said Michelle Fischer, marketing manager at Apricorn. “Our customers communicated a need for larger capacities with our biometric encrypted drives. So, we made sure that we were able to respond to that need.”
The new 640 GB Aegis Bio drive retails for $159. According to Mike McCandless, Apricorn’s vice president of sales and marketing, that price point puts them right in SMB country. SMBs, he says, are some of the companies most in need of hardware encryption.
“With several of the largest data breaches of 2010 involving lost or stolen portable storage devices, the need for secure portable storage has never been greater,” McCandless says. “As more employees take their work on the road or between home and office, companies are looking for secure ways to keep their proprietary and customer data safe, and the Aegis Bio delivers on this need.”
In addition to biometric security and hardware encryption, the bus-powered Aegis Bio features an integrated USB 2.0 cable, an auxiliary power Y-cable, software CD, a neoprene travel pouch, and Quick Start Guide.
