This article is more than 1 year old

IronKey 1GB secure USB Flash drive

Cast-iron data security?

And it works. Click the button and in go the details. IronKey's code will automatically make note of website log-in details and ask you if you want to save them securely. It'll spot log-in forms too, though it's perhaps a little trigger happy - it'll pop up even if you're already logged in and viewing, say, a change-your-password form.

IronKey secure USB Flash drive and token
IronKey's IronKey: surf securely and anonyously

All your passwords can be modified in the IronKey Control Panel and backed-up to the company's online archive. It also allows you to back-up the contents of the drive to the host machine - or any archive its connected to by networks or other USB ports. The back-up is visible to all, but attempts to open the files fail. For example, a picture will still appear to Windows as an image file, but of a format the OS doesn't understand.

Back to passwords. The IronKey Control Panel has a password generator capable of churning out quality passwords full of upper- and lower-case characters and numbers. Totally unmemorable to you and me, of course, but easy for the IronKey to remember on our behalf.

IronKey also uses a version of the Electronic Frontier Foundation's Tor anonymity tool for preventing sites you view from working out who you might be.

That hasn't stopped IronKey forcing you to activate your IronKey drive by registering yourself as a user with the company, which is presented as a fait accompli rather than the option it perhaps should be.

Still, if you forget your password, it's good to know you can get it back - enter the wrong one ten times and the drive zaps the Flash memory, not only to protect your data but to stop anyone using the drive afterward. Since the drive's purchase price only includes just "one year of internet protection", you could come a cropper in years to come if you don't keep up the payments.

Next page: Verdict

More about

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like