External Storage: The Apricorn Aegis Padlock Review

Looking for a lot of data security in a small external storage drive? HardwareCentral.com reviews the Apricorn Aegis Padlock, a nifty portable, secure USB hard drive.

Portable hard drives offer an easy and convenient way to carry around loads of data. The problem is, they're also comparatively easy to lose — or to steal.

So what's a security-conscious enterprise or individual to do? Well, if you're concerned about personal or corporate information getting into the wrong hands, you could do a lot worse than pick up the Aegis Padlock, a 2.5-inch USB hard drive from storage and peripheral vendor Apricorn.

This hardware-encrypted drive — with AES 128- or 256-bit encryption depending on the model purchased -- is small enough, at 3.3 by 4.7 by 0.8 inches, to fit in your coat pocket and secure enough to provide peace of mind should it become lost.

What's most interesting about the 6.2-ounce Padlock is the inclusion of a phone- or ATM-style keypad right on the front face. The keypad allows users to setup a numeric or letter-based (or a combination of the two) PIN to access data. This provides a second layer of security: Not only is all information encrypted on the fly, but the data cannot be accessed unless you've entered the correct PIN on the keypad.

Read the complete external storage article