• 2 min read
Apricorn packs 4TB into a secure USB drive
Apricorn’s Aegis Secure Key 3 now reaches 4TB, far beyond rivals' 512GB caps, though the top model costs about $3,000.
Image: ZDNET
A lost USB drive can be far more damaging than a lost laptop if it holds unencrypted client data. That is the case ZDNET makes in its review of Apricorn’s Aegis Secure Key 3, a hardware-encrypted USB flash drive that now comes in a new 4TB version — the highest-capacity model in its class.
ZDNET says the standout feature is not just security but scale. Competing drives such as the iStorage datAshur PRO+C and Kingston IronKey Keypad 200 top out at 512GB, while Apricorn now stretches from 16GB to 4TB across nine capacities.
The drive uses AES-256 XTS hardware-based encryption, which Apricorn positions as protection against “harvest now, decrypt later” threats tied to future quantum computing. ZDNET notes that practical attacks are often simpler than cryptography-breaking efforts, so Apricorn also focuses on physical and operational defenses: no default password, no short PINs, a wear-resistant keypad, epoxy resin to deter tampering, anti-brute-force protection that wipes the drive after repeated bad guesses, an auto-lock feature, and an optional self-destruct PIN.
ZDNET also highlights ease of use. There is no app or executable required: plug it in, enter the code, and access the storage. Because authentication happens on the device, it is platform-independent and worked on USB-C Macs with a third-party USB-C-to-USB-A adapter, according to the review.
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On durability, Apricorn says the drive is IP68-rated, built from extruded aluminum, and crushproof to 6,500 pounds. The company also says it meets and exceeds FIPS 140-3 Level 3 requirements and has submitted it to NIST for formal validation.
Price is the catch. The 4TB model costs about $3,000, but the line starts around $169 for 16GB. ZDNET’s conclusion is straightforward: if you need a hardware-encrypted flash drive larger than 512GB, Apricorn is effectively the only option.
Computing Editor
Tomas lives in the terminal. He covers chips, laptops, and operating systems with a focus on performance and efficiency. He reads kernel changelogs the way other people read fiction, and he's always on the hunt for the perfect mechanical keyboard switch. If it processes data, Tomas has an opinion on it.
via ZDNET
