I’m writing a series of reviews for eWeek about secure ruggedized USB flash storage. These are devices like the Lexar JumpDrive S3000 FIPS, any drive from IronKey, BlockMaster, etc that uses on-board encryption and a rugged body. They have to meet FIPS 140-2 Level 3 in order to be included in my testing. Some meet MIL-STD-180 for being waterproof.
I’ve learned some interesting things torture testing the drives. Rugged is not necessarily the same as durable. I was truly amazed at the ability of the “el cheapo” generic USB flash drive to get the crap beat out of it and still hold data. The body completely shattered even when I dropped it down a single flight of stairs. The insides still worked. Smashing it between two 20 lb weights flat out destroyed it.
But then I threw it off the roof of my 4 story building.
The case broke off, but I could snap it back on the chip and it still worked.
I could bake it in the oven for 15 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit and it still worked.
325 for 15 minutes and it still works
el cheapo after being thrown off the roof and baked in the oven
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