Kingston Digital today announced the release of the DataTraveler 5000 USB Flash drive. Available in 2, 4, 8 and 16GB capacities, the DataTraveler 5000 is FIPS 140-2 Level 2 certified with Level 3 pending, and features 256-bit AES hardware-based encryption. It uses XTS cipher mode and also uses elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) algorithms to meet Suite B standards approved by the U.S. government.

Vaughan Nankivell, Regional Manager, Australia and New Zealand, Kingston says that "The DataTraveler 5000 delivers unsurpassed levels of security and encryption to government and enterprise customers," and that "This portable data solution represents state-of-the-art data protection while providing end users with the simplicity of plug and play."

The DataTraveler 5000 utilizes patented Secured by SPYRUS technology which supports hardw are-based 256-bit AES-XTS and Suite B cryptography, including ECC. Suite B algorithms were specifically selected and approved by the U.S. government and the Department of Defense for use in multinational data sharing environments including both classified and unclassified applications. XTS-AES mode is a cipher mode for encryption that is much stronger than CBC, ECB and other modes. SPYRUS, Inc., is the leader in the development of advanced hardware-based encryption, authentication and digital content security products.

For netbook users who need a little extra security the DataTraveler 5000 USB Flash drive might be a handy addition to their kit. As well the security, it's water proof to a depth of 1.3 metres and has a five year warranty with free support. The security works with both Windows 7 and XP and can be ordered with an integrated malware scanning option.

By Anthony Caruana