2024-02-11 11:28:34
Ryan Walker of Interrupt Labs releases an open-source, security-focused USB flash drive called Ovrdrive USB. This drive has a unique self-destruct mechanism that heats the flash chip to more than 100 degrees Celsius.
The Ovrdrive USB drive is not encrypted by default, so it should still be legal in countries where encryption is otherwise prohibited. However, it does provide an additional degree of (physical) security that our current best flash drives don’t achieve.
For the computer to detect the USB Ovrdrive, it must be inserted quickly three times in a row. If you don’t do this, the drive partition will be hidden and it will appear broken.
The Ovrdrive USB was originally intended to self-destruct, but this proved too complex for mass production. So Walker replaced the flash drive. However, he left the original destruction mechanism intact in the final product. This mechanism changes the voltage supplied to the device by approximately 100 degrees Celcius. This temperature may not be enough to destroy flash memory chips, but users can always add more to self-destruct it.
The first version of Ovrdrive USB used a unique activation method in which users activated the flash drive with wet fingers.
The Ovrdrive USB flash drive can be a good choice for journalists, researchers, and others who need an extra layer of storage security. However, it does not replace full encryption.
As part of a crowdfunding campaign on Crowd Supply, the flash drive is scheduled to release in August 2024, priced at $69 with free shipping within the US or $12 international shipping for the rest of the world.
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