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I'm looking for a tough USB. Is IornKey Ok?

Dunedoo

Well-known member
Foundation Member
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IronKey rolls out special edition "military-grade" flash drive
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by Donald Melanson | @donmelanson | September 21st 2007 at 3:13 pm September 21st 2007 3:13 pm
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While it doesn't look like it'll hold up to quite the same "nuclear stresses" as the apparently unrelated Iron Drive, the new IronKey: Enterprise Special Edition flash drive looks like it should at least keep your data safer than the average USB stick. Helping it in that regard is the drive's "military-grade" hardware encryption, which makes use of AES cryptography and authentication and requires no other hardware or software. As if that's not enough, the IronKey also boasts some security measures that'll trigger a self-destruct sequence if someone tries to tamper with the drive, which we assume will only destroy the data, not the drive itself (though we can hope). Otherwise, the drive supposedly exceeds military waterproof standards, and each one boasts a unique serial number to let higher-ups keep tabs on each drive. Of course, all that comes at a bit of a premium price, with the drive running $80, $110, and $150 for 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB versions, respectively.
 
I'm thinking they aren't getting a ton of buy orders these days and that's old stock?
I wouldn't mind getting a couple and get it laser engraved "Dash". The biometric scan and destruct function is awesome. I'm splitting my stash in multiple wallets at the moment but would prefer it kept in one safe place.
 
I wouldn't mind getting a couple and get it laser engraved "Dash". The biometric scan and destruct function is awesome. I'm splitting my stash in multiple wallets at the moment but would prefer it kept in one safe place.
Yea sure if they were reasonably priced. The price needs to come down or they need to increase the memory to justify that price. Memory is so much cheaper now. Although the key selling point is the encryption, the memory size irks the shit out of me.
 
With IronKey you are just spending extra for the name, in my opinion. Just look through the NIST list of validated 140-2 manufactures and find one that suits your budget (preferably Level 2 or 3). Here is their list:
http://csrc.nist.gov/groups/STM/cmvp/documents/140-1/140val-all.htm

As an example, on Amazon you could get a 4GB Kingston DT4000 G2 for ~$40 or a Apricorn Aegis for $60. The 4GB IronKey is $90. If you are mainly looking for a secure DASH storage (aside from paper wallets) I'd recommend a smaller drive so you can buy multiple to distribute your (encrypted) wallet.
 
With IronKey you are just spending extra for the name, in my opinion. Just look through the NIST list of validated 140-2 manufactures and find one that suits your budget (preferably Level 2 or 3). Here is their list:
http://csrc.nist.gov/groups/STM/cmvp/documents/140-1/140val-all.htm

As an example, on Amazon you could get a 4GB Kingston DT4000 G2 for ~$40 or a Apricorn Aegis for $60. The 4GB IronKey is $90. If you are mainly looking for a secure DASH storage (aside from paper wallets) I'd recommend a smaller drive so you can buy multiple to distribute your (encrypted) wallet.
Thanks a heap for the info. There's a lot to look at. Should keep me going for a few days.
 

Never heard of them m-disks until I posted that.
I think the trick is, to use a new USB and do not leave it plugged into the computer/ access it much or allow it near anything hot.
And further to that, when creating a wallet backup, make a new folder each time and keep the others, this way you are never writing over the old data and wearing it out (small usage though it is, odd unpredictable things like latchup happen on the atomic scale)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latchup

Interesting, I never knew there is latchup resistant technology.
 
Never heard of them m-disks until I posted that.
I think the trick is, to use a new USB and do not leave it plugged into the computer/ access it much or allow it near anything hot.
And further to that, when creating a wallet backup, make a new folder each time and keep the others, this way you are never writing over the old data and wearing it out (small usage though it is, odd unpredictable things like latchup happen on the atomic scale)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latchup

Interesting, I never knew there is latchup resistant technology.
Shit, I just wanted a great USB and now there's this plethora of information to go through. I did use a USB constantly a couple of years back and overwriting it until I was told by Mitsubishi to stop doing it as I was causing havoc on one of their programs when I transferred fresh data. The guys from Thales told me to use a USB once and throw away.
 
[QUOTE="Dunedoo, post: 54553, member: 3060" ... The guys from Thales told me to use a USB once and throw away.[/QUOTE]

You can't fight entropy, in the end all order goes to chaos.
More simply the junctions of the transistors get contaminated by the dopant and lose their polarization (less holes and free electrons to switch on properly), thats probably going a bit too deep into your original question, lol, I'll get my woolly coat about now.
 
[QUOTE="Dunedoo, post: 54553, member: 3060" ... The guys from Thales told me to use a USB once and throw away.

You can't fight entropy, in the end all order goes to chaos.
More simply the junctions of the transistors get contaminated by the dopant and lose their polarization (less holes and free electrons to switch on properly), thats probably going a bit too deep into your original question, lol, I'll get my woolly coat about now.[/QUOTE]
Deep, I just fell into the abyss, thanx
 
I can only recommend IronKey. I got two D250 around 2008 and still use them for important stuff I don't want anybody ever to access (eg. cryptocoin savings). One backs up the other, just in case entropy happens and Dunedoo's signature get another entrance.

Does it make sense to buy such expensive pieces of USB? I guess it really depends what you are looking for. To buy one for the sole purpose of saving your DASH holdings seems to be a bit overkill. But if you're looking for a cryptographically secure set and forget device that is highly robust and seems to be long lived, then you could consider it. I happen to be just a little bit on the paranoid side and was lured by the supercool self destruct function (never tried it out though). People have also been known to keep their very private live OS on them, so they can surf and do stuff from there without worrying about deleting local traces too much. Now that I think of it I guess DPR should have invested in one. Can't say anything about the life expectancy of the device under this kind of heavy usage.
 
I can only recommend IronKey. I got two D250 around 2008 and still use them for important stuff I don't want anybody ever to access (eg. cryptocoin savings). One backs up the other, just in case entropy happens and Dunedoo's signature get another entrance.

Does it make sense to buy such expensive pieces of USB? I guess it really depends what you are looking for. To buy one for the sole purpose of saving your DASH holdings seems to be a bit overkill. But if you're looking for a cryptographically secure set and forget device that is highly robust and seems to be long lived, then you could consider it. I happen to be just a little bit on the paranoid side and was lured by the supercool self destruct function (never tried it out though). People have also been known to keep their very private live OS on them, so they can surf and do stuff from there without worrying about deleting local traces too much. Now that I think of it I guess DPR should have invested in one. Can't say anything about the life expectancy of the device under this kind of heavy usage.
I'm still set on getting a couple of IronKeys' and wished I had the coin to try out the self destruct just for fun. Would it be like the old Mission Impossible message that self destructs?
 
Finally found a you tube clip about the Iron Keys USB

As password for this device still types in by ordinary keyboard - it can be hacked by an ordinary key logger.

It may be better decision:
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And here is Real Iron Key:
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:grin:
 
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