Toshiba self-encrypting HDD gains Government-class security validation

Toshiba Electronics Europe has announced its mobile-grade thin 7mm hard disk drive (HDD) with self-encrypting technology has been validated to U.S. Federal Information Processing Standard 140-2 (FIPS 140-2). The MQ01ABUxxxBW series is the first Toshiba self-encrypting drive (SED) validated to the FIPS 140-2 standard and includes Toshiba’s unique wipe technology, which automatically erases data when an HDD is accessed by an unregistered system.

As a result of the FIPS validation, the MQ01ABUxxxBW series is now available for use in government systems and other highly regulated and security-sensitive storage applications.

Toshiba’s SED models are designed to the Trusted Computing Group’s (TCG) industry-standard “Opal” Security Sub-Classification. This globally accepted standard, implements protocols created to help IT managers, security management application providers and client security professionals manage data security and prevent potentially damaging and costly breaches to sensitive information. In addition, the FIPS-validated model provides tamper-evident labelling for additional security.
Unlike software-based encryption products, SEDs perform encryption securely within the drive’s hardware at full interface speeds. This helps to improve system performance versus software encryption, which performs encryption as a background software task that can negatively impact user productivity. In addition, SED use eliminates the need for a “re-encryption” cycle during initial client configuration.

The SEDs encryption functionality cannot be disabled - decreasing the risk that security practices required by policy for legal compliance might be put at risk by end-user actions. The SED wipe technology also ensures systems can be easily and securely cryptographically erased to protect against data breaches when systems are retired from service, re-deployed or returned to a 3rd party service provider.