MUNICH, TAIPEI – The loss of USB sticks can pose a big threat to corporate data security.With its SafeToGo product series, Giesecke & Devrient Secure FlashSolutions (G&D SFS) offers three encrypted USB sticks that ensure theintegrity of the data stored on them. The USB sticks, which can be administeredcentrally, make it possible to implement a wide variety of security applications.G&D SFS is a joint venture of German security specialist Giesecke &Devrient and Taiwanese flash technology expert Phison.

 

The USB sticks automatically encryptall data using a 256-bit AES algorithm and are protected with a strongpassword. If the wrong password is entered 20 times, the stick automaticallydeletes all the data stored on it. This rules out the possibility of bruteforce attacks, in which all theoretically possible combinations of charactersin the encryption key are tried out. As both encryption and verificationof the password take place in an integrated processor, it is impossiblefor attackers to manipulate the registration process. No software needsto be installed on the PC to which the USB is connected.

 

Since every company has its own securityrequirements, Giesecke & Devrient Secure Flash Solutions offers threedifferent product variants. The SafeToGo stick is the basic product forstoring encrypted data. SafeToGo FIPS, which meets the U.S. FIPS 140-2Level 2 security standard, is aimed primarily at the American market. SafeToGoSMART, the third product in the range, has an integrated smart card thatenables two-factor authentication across a range of security applications.With this product, G&D SFS is targeting companies that have stringentsecurity requirements, yet still want to profit from a wide range of functions.The potential applications include, for example, e-mail encryption, secureVPN remote access to the corporate network, and secure user logon to PCs(two-factor authentication). The new solution offers greater flexibilitycompared with conventional smart cards: it can be used on any type of computerwithout the need to install an additional smart card reader.

 

Companies can retain an overview oftheir flash memories by deploying management software to administer theUSB sticks from a central location. In this way, IT administrators cannot only reset passwords remotely or roll out new password guidelines,they can also delete the data on lost sticks via the console. What is more,a backup function enables the deleted data to be restored to a new stick.

 

The SafeToGo USB sticks are availableimmediately from BlockMaster distributors around the world or direct fromGiesecke & Devrient Secure Flash Solutions.