Victorinox Offers 'Unhackable' USB Stick

Any attempt to forcibly open the flash drive triggers a self-destruct mechanism that burns the device's CPU and memory chip, company says.

Antone Gonsalves, Contributor

March 30, 2010

1 Min Read

Victorinox, best known as the maker of the Swiss Army knife, has released a USB memory stick that the company claims is "un-hackable."

The Victorinox Secure device, which comes attached to the popular multi-function knife, uses several layers of security, including fingerprint identification and a thermal sensor. Combining a fingerprint with heat makes it impossible to access the device with a finger detached from the body, something one might see in a Hollywood movie.

The memory stick is tamper-proof, the company claims. Any attempt to forcibly open it triggers a self-destruct mechanism that burns the device's CPU and memory chip.

During a two-hour launch event in London Friday, Victorinox challenged a team of professional hackers, and offered almost $150,000 if they could break into the device. The team was unsuccessful.

The USB stick can hold up to 32 GB of storage and features data encryption technology based on the Advanced Encryption Standard 256. The company also uses its own proprietary security chip.

The Swiss Army knife that comes with the new USB stick also features a mini LED light, retractable ballpoint pen, blade, scissors, nail file, screwdriver and key ring.

The use of USB memory sticks have been a security concern in many companies for years.

For Further Reading:
How To Run Linux From A USB Flash Drive
Speed Sticks: Three Wireless USB Modems Reviewed

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