Giving data thieves the finger

Darius Chang | Nov 16, 2007

As anyone who has ever lost or crashed a harddisk knows, the agony is not so much the cost of replacing the software, but trying to get the content back where it belongs. With portable external harddisks becoming cheaper and storage size getting larger, one of the most overlooked areas is the issue of data security.

Some enclosures feel that password encryption is enough, but we all know it takes a determined hacker nothing more than a few hours to break through. Sarotech's new enclosure, the Cutie Bio, has integrated a fingerprint scanner into an external USB 2.0 2.5-inch enclosure. With a swipe of your finger, the data is instantly accessible. Once it's removed from the PC, the information becomes encrypted gibberish.

At only S$89 (US$62.55), we would say it's a must-have for everyone... except for one small detail. The fingerprint software works with only Windows machines, which takes Mac users out of the equation. There is a version which is not only Mac compatible, but also Linux-friendly. However, the latter uses the more expensive 1.8-inch drives and the availability is yet to be confirmed.

Filed under: Notebooks, PC & Peripherals
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