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posted by janrinok on Wednesday February 14 2024, @09:01AM   Printer-friendly
from the that's-some-hot-data dept.

Ovrdrive does not encrypt its contents by default but has a uniquely physical security mechanism and can be rigged to self-destruct - by heating itself to over 100 degrees C:

Through GitHub and Crowd Supply, Ryan Walker of Interrupt Labs (via CNX Software) is releasing a security-focused, open-source USB flash drive called Ovrdrive USB, which boasts a self-destruct mechanism that heats the flash chip to over 100 degrees Celsius.

The Ovrdrive USB is unencrypted by default, so it should still be legal in countries where encryption is otherwise illegal while providing an extra degree of (physical) security not matched by our current best flash drives.

First, the Ovrdrive USB design functions pretty simply. It's mostly a run-of-the-mill USB flash drive with a unique activation mechanism. For it to be detected by your machine, you have to rapidly insert the drive three consecutive times actually to turn it on. Failure to do so will hide the drive's partition and give the impression that it's broken. Initially, it was supposed to self-destruct, but it proved too challenging to mass produce, forcing Walker to change the drive.

[...] In its crowdfunding campaign on Crowd Supply, the flash drive is slated for an August 2024 release and priced at $69 with free US domestic shipping or $12 international shipping for the rest of the world. At the original time of writing, the flash drive has reached 70% of its funding, with two days remaining on the funding deadline.

Related: Report Reveals Decline In Quality Of USB Sticks And MicroSD Cards


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  • (Score: 2) by Rosco P. Coltrane on Wednesday February 14 2024, @08:21PM (1 child)

    by Rosco P. Coltrane (4757) on Wednesday February 14 2024, @08:21PM (#1344481)

    Pretty much.

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  • (Score: 2) by Tork on Wednesday February 14 2024, @08:27PM

    by Tork (3914) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday February 14 2024, @08:27PM (#1344486)
    Wow. I'd love to play with something like that but I'm owned by a cat.
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