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The Kingston IronKey Keypad 200 is a secure USB key that locks your data behind a PIN code without the need for software or compromising compatibility with other
The Kingston IronKey Keypad 200 is a secure USB key that locks your data behind a PIN code without the need for software or compromising compatibility with other devices.
In times of data protection, Kingston makes an interesting promise with the IronKey Keypad 200 (64 GB – 169 euros excl. VAT). The USB drive is capable of protecting your data from thieves or accidental finders of the device without the need to install any device unlocking software. Encryption and decryption is done entirely on the device itself, using an 8-digit PIN code that you must enter yourself on the IronKey’s small numeric keypad.
In practice, it works like this: when you connect the locked USB stick to a computer, nothing happens. A red light is on, but the stick doesn’t show up on the PC and the data remains unavailable. Hackers who manage to get to the hidden memory via a creative detour are also at risk, because all data is encrypted in this phase.
However, if you first enter the correct PIN code and press the key button, a green light will illuminate. Now when you plug the IronKey Keypad 200 into the computer, it is indistinguishable from a normal USB stick. This is how the stick works via an adapter on your PC, your Mac, the computer in the library or even your tablet or smartphone.
The keypad we tested is a device with a love of legacy: You need a USB type A connection, so the stick will not work without an adapter on the most modern ultrabooks, which no longer have such connections on board and use USB type A instead. use c . Choosing Type-A is beneficial for compatibility with older devices.
Kingston means business when it comes to safety. For the device itself, the manufacturer is pleased to have a FIPS 140-3 Level 3 certificate, which states that the device offers strong protection against both physical and digital attacks.
This is due, among other things, to the AES-256 encryption, which is implemented as hardware on the stick. Kingston opts for the XTS encryption mode, which addresses some minor potential weaknesses of the CBC method. For the layman, the letters are less important than the fact that Kingston uses a modern and very secure encryption method and standard.
Kingston also emphasizes that the user is not a weak link. For example, you must configure the stick with a PIN code of at least eight (and no more than fifteen) digits. If you’re lazy and only want to use consecutive numbers, you’re out of luck. Self 7-8-9-0-1-2-3-4, is not allowed. Repeating the same number eight times obviously doesn’t work either. The small buttons have letters similar to a 2003 Nokia keyboard. They can help you remember a complex code. This is important because without the PIN code it is not possible to get the data from the stick.
How to configure the Kingston IronKey Keypad 200 for first use is explained on the packaging using hieroglyphs that even the best cryptographer cannot decipher. Fortunately, a very clear digital manual offers more comfort. Kingston allows you to set different PIN codes with a key combination, e.g. B. an administrator code and codes for a user. In addition, you can configure the access as writing and reading (default) or only reading. For example, an administrator might have editing rights, but a user might not.
All of this is not particularly user-friendly due to the limited number of buttons and lights. You need to press long and short key combinations to navigate to certain settings. The only feedback comes from the red, green, and blue LEDs on the device. However, with the guide alongside, we get the job done quite smoothly.
Kingston makes the right compromise here, as this approach keeps the stick free of software. A screen on the device might have made things easier, but in our opinion it is unnecessary. In principle, you carry out this somewhat cumbersome configuration process once, after which the stick is ready for use.
If the Kingston IronKey Keypad 200 falls into the hands of a third party, malicious or non-malicious, they may attempt to enter a code ten times and the device will reset itself. A new cryptographic key is generated and the data on the drive is irretrievably lost. Of course, a manual reset is also possible, again using a combination of long and short button presses.
When you unlock the USB stick, you have 30 seconds to insert it into a computer. Then it locks again. By default, the stick remains unlocked as long as it is in a system. However, you can set a timeout within which the device will still be locked again after a period of inactivity from 1 to 99 minutes.
Physically, the stick is of course not the smallest on the market, although Kingston is limited in size. You can slide the IronKey Keypad 200 into a case so the keys remain protected. Inside, Kingston has used epoxy liberally, making it virtually impossible to tamper with the components without damaging them.
The keyboard itself features a polymer layer to prevent fingerprints or scuffs. For example, even after years of use, it is theoretically impossible to tell which code is typed every day. We didn’t unscrew the stick for our test, nor have we used it for years, so we can’t confirm if that’s true, but based on our experience, the claims sound very plausible.
The stick has a small built-in battery that is easily recharged when you use the device in a computer. Therefore, if you are using it for the first time, it is best to insert it into the computer before starting the configuration.
We are left with the not-so-small details, such as the performance of the USB stick as a USB stick. Our model has a capacity of 64 GB and works via the USB 3.2 Gen 1 standard. We measure sequential read and write speeds of 165 MB/s and 137 MB/s, respectively, which is even slightly faster than what Kingston himself claims. This does not make the keypad a performance monster, but it is sufficient.
The Kingston IronKey Keypad 200 is a total secure solution. Kingston seems to have thought of everything. The robust build quality with physical protection by epoxy resin and treated keys, the digitally signed firmware that takes care of all the configuration so that the stick works even without software, the secure encryption algorithm, the obligation to use a long and secure PIN code…: all that Together, the IronKey Keypad 200 is a virtually unbreakable USB stick.
Also impressive are the extensive configuration options, which allow you to choose different modes and create user and admin codes. We think it’s a necessary evil that the configuration process isn’t that user-friendly.
If you’re looking for a secure USB drive that doesn’t reveal company secrets, look no further than the Kingston IronKey Keypad 200. Of course, the 169 euros (excl. VAT) is not free, but it is justified given the unique positioning of the device.
Tested model: Kingston IronKey Keypad 200 – 64 GB – USB 3.2 Gen 1 – 169 euros (excl. VAT)
Source: IT Daily
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