Apricorn Aegis Secure Flash Key 3NXC USB-C Receives FIPS 140-2 Level 3 Validation

Apricorn, Inc. announced the Aegis Secure Key 3NXC has been awarded FIPS 140-2 level 3 validation (certification #3943) by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

This level of certification serves to authorize a device’s use in industries and institutions – healthcare, finance, defense, and legal; both nationally and globally – in compliance with data security regulations such as HIPAA, FERPA, Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and GDPR.

Hardware Encrypted USB 3 Type C Flashkey

The Aegis Secure Key 3NXC was introduced in July 2020 and is the only hardware-encrypted flash key that is compatible with USB-C without the need for a separate A-to-C adapter.

“Our research has shown that 60% of IT professionals agree that remote work conditions have created data security issues within their organizations,” said Kurt Markley, US MD. “One of the fastest, most economical safeguards they could put in place quickly is the 3NXC. Both the NX and NXC were designed to accommodate smaller next-gen devices – like mobile phones, laptops, and tablets – that employees are using more and more to access privileged data while working remotely. It remains the first and only USB-C hardware-encrypted flash drive on the market and is now the only one to carry FIPS validation.“

The Secure Key 3NXC is part of Apricorn’s 3NX series, which all come standard with AegisWare, firm’s proprietary firmware and feature set which was developed to address evolving security threats and business needs for regulated sectors such as government, defense, finance, manufacturing and healthcare. The FIPS 140-2 level 3 validation certifies a device’s use in industries and institutions operating with data security regulations. Additionally, all internal componentry is protected from physical tampering with a layer of hardened epoxy, and locked-down firmware brings immunity to malware attacks.

The 3NX family is the only hardware encrypted device that provides the ability to toggle between Fixed Disk and Removable Media (US patent No. 10,338,840).

Additional security advantages of Apricorn’s hardware encrypted USB storage devices include:

• No software involved – nothing to keylog or to hack
• Bootable-backup/restore OS offline
• OS agnostic-completely cross platform compatible
• Onboard keypad – all authentication takes place within the device itself
• All data, passwords and encryption keys are 256-bit encrypted at rest
• No host computer involved in setup, authentication or encryption
• Forced enrollment – no default PINs ensures that data is not put at risk by employees who fail to change the PIN before deployment
• IP-68 validated vs. water and dust damage.