| Apricorn Portable Hard Drive Allows Fingerprint Access |
| By Prabhala Ranga Sai, TMCnet Contributing Editor |
Review Date: 2007-06-13 |
 Have you ever imagined that you can swipe your finger to access your files? As nobody can forge or tamper the system, you are rest assured with the security of your swiping instrument-your finger. Apricorn has made that possible by launching the Aegis Bio, a hardware encrypted biometric hard drive that allows users to securely access their files with a fingerprint biometric sensor. Once registered, secure files can be accessed with just a swipe of a finger.
Aegis Bio incorporated multiple layers of protection and is designed for the professional on move, said Apricorn. This hardware based biometric protection system works on UPEK TouchStrip Fingerprint Sensor and Digital ID Hardware Engine. With the Aegis Bio, it is easy to carry sensitive information on the road and is ideal for IT departments looking to secure their mobile users, explained Apricorn.
The system provides real-time hardware-based encryption as its Oxford Semiconductor storage controller IC provides real-time data encryption via 128-bit AES encryption, rendering data on the drive impenetrable even if it is removed from the enclosure, according to Apricorn.
The other features of Aegis Bio include a 16-point omni-directional shock mounting system protecting the drive from accidental bumps and knocks and an integrated USB cable for hassle-free connection, company said.
According to the company, Aegis Bio requires no software on the host computer to access data, allowing access to files on any USB equipped computer.
Aegis Bio allows users to login to Windows and password-protected online accounts with a simple swipe of the finger using UPEK's Protector Suite Token software.
"Not a week goes by without headlines of sensitive data being stolen or lost in public, compromising both companies and individuals," said Mike McCandless, Apricorn's VP of Sales and Marketing, in a statement. "By incorporating the UPEK TouchStrip biometric features and Oxford Semiconductor encryption engine into our popular Aegis hard drives, we've developed a very dependable, affordable, easy-to-use portable data security solution that can endure the bumps and bruises that accompany life on the road."
Aegis Bio requires Pentium II CPU, Apple (News - Alert) G3 or later hardware; and Windows 2000, XP and Vista software. Apricorn says, fingerprint software is not compatible with Mac and registration must be done on Windows. |
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| Source TMC Net / IP Communications |
| Click to Go To Review Location |
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| Arming The Mobile Computer Corps |
| By Joe Rudich |
Review Date: 2007-11-16 |
| Mobile computers and the data they transport sail on waters fraught with peril. Their data is often a cargo vital to the survival and prosperity of organizations. Unfortunately, these vessels of information are frequently sent into hostile seas equipped with neither protection nor any means to keep their data from falling into the wrong hands.
Considering the amount of money and effort organizations spend to protect their central network resources, it’s no surprise that criminals have increasingly turned their focus to gleaning data from traveling data stores.
“Securing mobile storage devices has become a primary concern for most companies,” says Apricorn’s (www.apricorn.com) Michelle Fischer. “As you read about cases of identity theft, too often it is due to customer information being taken from drives that were stolen or simply lost.”
Just a year ago, external hard drives were too large, expensive,
and clumsy to carry as portable storage. They needed their own power cords and were almost as large and heavy as a laptop. But they have matured rapidly. They can be powered via USB ports and are ruggedized to survive being dropped. A drive that provides 10 times the storage of the largest thumb drive is now smaller than a paperback book, and lighter. That’s small enough for a person to easily carry but not so small that he will lose or discard it casually.
What’s more, external drives can actively protect data that does get lost. Many, such as Apricorn’s Aegis Bio, have hardware-
managed encryption that makes data inaccessible to anyone but the data’s owner. The Bio has an onboard fingerprint
scanner to control access to any password-protected system, as well as the drive’s own data.
Hardware-based encryption is, at least initially, more costly than software-based encryption. It also has distinct advantages,
including superior performance. “The best method of protection is by real-time hardware encryption,” says Michelle Fischer of Apricorn Data Storage (www.apricorn.com). “Software
encryption is often criticized for being slow and, like all software, requires updates. Since hardware-encrypted drives are not subject to updates, the costs related to traditional software solutions are eliminated. Hardware-encrypted drives can also be easily reset.” |
| Source Processor.com |
| Click to Go To Review Location |
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| Winner of 2008 InfoWorld Technology of the Year |
| By InfoWorld |
Review Date: 2008-01-03 |
 The ease of use, reliability, and large capacity of the Apricorn Aegis Bio are a perfect complement to its 128-bit AES encryption, guarded by smooth fingerprint authentication that follows the drive on any machine with a USB port. The Aegis Bio speed is consistent with a 5,400-rpm, 2.5-inch SATA drive. With a price that is not too far from those of unprotected devices with similar capacity and performance, this secure portable drive is hard to resist. |
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| Source InfoWorld |
| Click to Go To Review Location |
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| The Aegis Bio: the Fingerprint-Protected Vault |
| By Bogdan Botezatu, Hardware Editor |
Review Date: 2008-01-23 |
 Paranoid PC users, rejoice, as Apricorn has released another extraordinary device that allows you to keep your data at your fingertip. Literally. I have been talking a lot lately about data encryption and hard drive security but the Aegis Bio takes it to another level. RFID protected enclosures are extremely convenient and practical, but what happens if you get your hard-drive AND transponder stolen say, from your car? There's nothing that can save your data from the prying eyes.
Apricorn's Aegis Bio is a line of portable hard drives featuring one of the safest methods of authentication, except for the retinal scanner: the fingerprint itself. The drive comes with Hi-Speed USB 2.0 connection that guarantees faster file transfer and maximizes compatibility with other PC systems, real-time 128-bit AES encryption for protecting data as well as the UPEK TouchStrip Fingerprint Sensor with Oxford Controller Chip for biometric access.
The strong encryption algorithm protects the stored data on-the-fly, so unauthorized users will not be able to get to it even if they disassemble the drive from its housing in order to read directly from it. The disk is fastened on a 16-point omni-directional shock mounting system that protects it from damage, even if it has been dropped to the ground. The alternating red and green LED optical panel reflects the current state of the drive (locked and unlocked, respectively).
The enclosure ships with Fujitsu's 2.5-inch MWH2120BH 120GB hard drive that features 8MB of cache and spins at 5400 rpm. The drive ships with a built-in USB cable, and a software disk with the required utility for adding or removing fingerprints from/to the disk's authorization database. In order to add a fingerprint to the authorized list, you only have to swipe your finger three times in a row (in order to ensure an accurate read). The software asks for enrolling two fingers – a good idea if you suffer an injury or burn and can not use one of them.
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| Source Softpedia.com |
| Click to Go To Review Location |
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| PC World reviews Aegis Bio |
| By Andrew Brandt |
Review Date: 2009-02-03 |
The Aegis Bio encrypted hard drive has a fingerprint scanner and software that secures both the drive and the contents of your PC.
The Aegis Bio not only has hardware encryption but also is one of the few drives with a built-in biometric fingerprint reader. The reader lets you bypass creating a password for accessing the drive; instead, you register your fingerprint and then swipe your finger across the reader. Using such a drive is a lot easier, since you have no password to memorize (or forget, which would render the data useless). Apricorn takes the biometric security up a notch, too: The bundled software (licensed from reader-manufacturer Upek) lets you scan your fingerprint to log in to Windows. Another tool automatically enters saved passwords (and other data) into forms when you swipe your finger. All of that added functionality makes the Aegis Bio one of the handiest hardware security tools I've encountered. |
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| Source PC World |
| Click to Go To Review Location |
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| Aegis Bio Review |
| By USB Geek |
Review Date: 2010-01-24 |
500GB Apricorn Bio Drive
We all have external storage devices some of us use flash drives and some of use use hard drives but we all seem to have some of them lying around. But how safe is your data on those devices?
Right about 95% of that data is not secure and that means in the wrong hands it could be dangerous for the data owner.
So why not get a device that is safer?
The Apricorn Bio Hard Drive will encrypt all your data real-time 128-bit AES hardware encryption making the drive useless for thieves even if they remove the drive from the enclosure. And lucky for you there is no password necessary to get to your data either because this storage device reads you fingerprint.
So no worries that someone would figure out your password and steal you data anyways. With the Apericorn Bio Drive your data is safe where ever you take it.
I would say go check out the 500GB Apricorn Bio Hard Drive |
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| Source Cool USB Toys |
| Click to Go To Review Location |
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