Secure data solutions provider iStorage has released what it claims to be the world's first FIPS 140-3 Level 3 flash drives. Also sold under its Kanguru brand, the iStorage datAshur PRO+C & PRO+A Encrypted Flash Drives feature PIN protection and military-grade hardware encryption and come in 32GB to 512GB capacities. You can grab the iStorage datAshur PRO+C drives right now on Amazon.com, starting from $96 for a 32GB model, and up to $259 for a 512GB stick. Yes, there is quite a premium to pay for this level of security.
"Achieving FIPS 140-3 Level 3 validation for the datAshur PRO+C and PRO+A adds tremendous credibility to the iStorage/Kanguru brand," wrote John Michael, CEO of iStorage/Kanguru. "This milestone underscores our commitment to providing the most secure data storage solutions for the U.S. government, corporations and organizations worldwide." Indeed, there are quite a few FIPS 140-3 Level 3 Pending drives around, as the Amazon listing for this one is still described, but iStorage seems rightly proud to have the devices mentioned above now certified by NIST.
So, what's the big deal with FIPS 140-3 Level 3? The current flash drives favored and trusted by government agencies, defense contractors, financial institutions, and healthcare providers to safeguard highly confidential and classified information are FIPS 140-2 certified. However, NIST is pushing for the transition to FIPS 140-3 modules by September 2026 - when FIPS 140-2 will be sunsetted.
FIPS 140-3 is built on the earlier standard but adds technologies such as tamper-evident and tamper-resistant mechanisms, updated cryptographic algorithms, improved key management practices, protection against side-channel attacks, and modular testing capabilities. It is also compliant with international regulations and standards, such as GDPR and HIPAA.
From the imagery, you can see that the datAshur PRO+C flash drives come with a keypad for entering the required eight to 15-digit PIN. Until unlocked, all the data stored is protected behind AES-XTS 256-bit hardware encryption. The red and green LEDs and icons make it quite clear when the drive is locked or ready for data transfers. Locking, unlocking, and drive usage is OS agnostic.
These flash drives don't just offer great security, they are also quite rugged and protected against the elements. For example, the keypad buttons are said to be wear-resistant, key components are epoxy coated, the device is "crush resistant," and the whole thing is certified for dust & water resistance (IP57).
As for performance, these drives are pretty quick at transferring your sensitive files, though they might pale in comparison to the Best Flash Drives in our recent roundup. The iStorage product page says users will experience up to 310 MB/s read and 246 MB/s write speeds.
The iStorage datAshur PRO+C listed on Amazon is available in 32GB, 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB capacities. Special orders for other capacities can be made directly via iStorage.
