Intel Launches Self-Encrypting SSD 91
MojoKid writes: Intel just launched their new SSD 2500 Pro series solid state drive, the follow-up to last year's SSD 1500 Pro series, which targets corporate and small-business clients. The drive shares much of its DNA with some of Intel's consumer-class drives, but the Pro series cranks things up a few notches with support for advanced security and management features, low power states, and an extended management toolset. In terms of performance, the Intel SSD 2500 Pro isn't class-leading in light of many enthusiast-class drives but it's no slouch either. Intel differentiates the 2500 Pro series by adding support for vPro remote-management and hardware-based self-encryption. The 2500 Pro series supports TCG (Trusted Computing Group) Opal 2.0 features and is Microsoft eDrive capable as well. Intel also offers an administration tool for easy management of the drive. With the Intel administration tool, users can reset the PSID (physical presence security ID), though the contents of the drive will be wiped. Sequential reads are rated at up to 540MB/s, sequential writes at up to 480MB/s, with 45K – 80K random read / write IOps.
Intel has worked with the NSA (Score:5, Insightful)
Great point of reference:
https://plus.google.com/+Theod... [google.com]
"Factory" Encryption == Bullshit (Score:5, Insightful)
We all know, at this point, that these tech hardware companies are total butt-fuck buddies with clandestine government organizations.
We all know, at this point, that as a result of the aforementioned butt-fuck buddies relationship, all hardware can be considered compromised before you even open the damn box.
I don't know about you all, but I'm far more concerned that an organization with the power to take away my life and/or freedom can access my data without my permission or knowledge than infamous Russian credit card scammer "Peggy."
That be my 2 pennies.
Another unverifiable "encryption product"... (Score:4, Insightful)
... treat it as a regular unencrypted drive and apply proper encryption on top. Next.
Re:Intel has worked with the NSA (Score:5, Insightful)
If I actually cared about the Government breaking into my encrypted files I'd be using a One Time Pad. It might be cumbersome, and it might flag it as actually important info, but if I really didn't want someone to have the possibility of breaking it then only a encryption method that cannot be broken with any amount of processing power will do. However, I don't have any need to worry about some trivial thing like are they looking at me today. I don't have that kind of secret to hide.
You should always be worried about the government breaking into your encrypted files.
There is only 1 group in this country that can legally torture you and put you to death. Only one group that actually does that very thing on a daily basis.
Irrelevant of their current laws and practices, it's in your best interest to protect yourself from their prying eyes.
You've no idea what you're doing today that will be illegal tomorrow. Every device I own has some degree of encryption. Will that protect me if they target me directly? Probably not, but I certainly am not going to make it easy for them if it comes to that. Decent encryption isn't that hard, and just takes a few minutes of your time.