Government gets 'Top Secret' Nano secure flash drive
First to meets stringent CESG standards
By John E Dunn | Computerworld UK | Published: 09:50, 18 October 2011
ViaSat UK has taken the wraps off the Eclypt Nano, a ruggedised flash drive for government and military use, the only drive of its kind to be certified to Top Secret level by the UK’s Communications-Electronics Security Group (CESG).
The company (formerly Stonewood until US-based ViaSat took the company over in 2010) is believed to have been selling the Nano for some time but held back on a formal announcement while it gained CESG approval, essential for its target market.
With capacities restricted to only 2GB, 4GB and 8GB, the Nano could best be described as a specialised drive where security is the top concern above all others.
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The Nano is also one of only a small number of drives able to meet the US Department of Defense’s stringent MIL-STD-810G standard on waterproofing.
“Previously the lack of a ruggedised USB drive encrypted beyond Restricted level meant that organisations such as the military had a tough choice to make,” said Viasat UK CEO, Chris McIntosh.
“As a result, the use and transport of the most sensitive data in the field could be a fraught experience. Now government bodies can, for the first time, balance the strongest security as certified by CESG with the portability and practicality of a USB drive,” he said.
The starting price for the 2GB model is £99.
