All Cruzer Enterprise Secure flash drives are now FIPS certified

(25/05/2009)

SanDisk Corporation has announced that all Cruzer Enterprise models currently shipping are FIPS certified, offering corporate and government IT departments a valuable tool in managing their secure hardware ecosystem.

In addition, SanDisk has released Central Management and Control (CMC) software version 3.0, equipping IT professionals with more tools for distributing, protecting and recovering critical data.

SanDisk’s Cruzer Enterprise secure USB flash drives now come in two forms: standard Cruzer Enterprise and Cruzer Enterprise with McAfee Malware Protection. Both Cruzer Enterprise products feature FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) 140-2 Level 2 certification for encryption, a standard set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

FIPS certification confirms that a drive has met NIST standards for design of the cryptographic module, for the strength of encryption algorithms and resistance to physical intrusion. The encrypted flash drive imposes mandatory access control on all files, which are stored in a secure partition that implements 256-bit hardware-based AES USB encryption.

In addition to FIPS protection, Cruzer Enterprise products with McAfee security software help defend users from infection with an automatic anti-malware scan that prohibits file transfers to the secure USB drive when it detects infection on a host PC.

Utilizing the unique hardware and embedded software capabilities of Cruzer Enterprise secure USB flash drives, CMC software has been used by government agencies, healthcare organizations and enterprises for years. The CMC device agent resides on a company-issued Cruzer Enterprise drive, giving corporate IT departments a powerful tool for lifecycle management of the device – including deployment throughout the organization, password recovery and renewal through the network, central back-up and restore, central usage tracking and remote termination of lost drives.

“Protecting critical data is a major priority for corporate IT professionals, and SanDisk Enterprise offers a two-pronged approach to meet that need,” said Roy Ramati, vice president, enterprise division, SanDisk. “Cruzer Enterprise encrypted flash drives provide secure and reliable high-capacity storage, while CMC 3.0 software offers advanced enterprise data management for those drives. This combination ensures that even if a drive is lost or stolen, the company’s sensitive information will remain secure and recoverable.”

CMC version 3.0 offers new tools for IT professionals, including:

Application and content distribution: CMC 3.0 allows central distribution of virtualized productivity applications to Cruzer Enterprise secure flash drives through the network. New applications appearing in the Cruzer Enterprise launchpad are easily accessed through an icon in the system tray, enabling users to introduce new applications rapidly without having to initiate an installation process or bring their drives to the IT department. CMC 3.0 also allows central distribution of content files to relevant users or groups in the organization, ensuring they get easy and immediate access to important, up-to-date documents.

Enhanced password policy control: Passwords can now be set to expire after a period of time determined by the IT department. This increases USB security by reducing the risk of unauthorized users gaining access to longstanding passwords. CMC 3.0 also offers the option of synchronizing with Active Directory password policies.

Expanded reports: IT administrators can create pre-defined reports on user activity, and access a wizard for creating dynamic reports on demand. This gives the IT department new tools for uncovering violations of the organization’s data security policies and for providing confirmation of regulatory compliance through an enhanced audit trail.

Streamlined deployment and user provisioning: Cruzer Enterprise drives can now be remotely configured from any corporate PC without pre-installation of a software agent. This enhances overall user productivity and shrinks the time and effort required to add new drives, especially in large organizations with multiple locations and many remote workers.

Existing CMC customers can enrol in an upgrade program to the new version through SanDisk authorized partners.

Related topics:  Data management and data security   Encryption 

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