STORAGE NETWORKING WORLD
In a major step forward to simplifying the security
and management of private data stored
on any computing device, Seagate Technology is
introducing a powerful new security platform that delivers a
simple, cost- effective way to deploy the highest levels of
security for computing systems, computer electronics and
mobile devices by protecting data where it lives — on the
hard disc drive.
The platform, Seagate DriveTrust Technology, combines
strong, fully automated hardware-based security with a
programming foundation that makes it easy to add security-based
software applications for organization-wide encryption key
management, multi-factor user authentication and other
capabilities that help lock down digital information at rest.
DriveTrust Technology works by encasing the security operations
in the hard drive, making the technology as easy and
cost-effective to deploy as the drive itself.
The Rising Value — and Vulnerability — of Digital
Content
Seagate’s security breakthrough comes as more high-
value information such as financial data, digital multi-
media content and personal data is stored on hard drives.
Stolen data can cost organizations and consumers dearly.
Plundered trade secrets and intellectual property can mean
millions of dollars in lost business. Pilfered personal
information such as address books, account information and
social security numbers threaten consumers with the high
cost of identity theft. Family photos, video and music
downloads, often numbering in the hundreds if not thousands,
stored on computers, carry their own inestimable value. The
proliferation of this precious data on mobile devices
increases the potential risks.
For many organizations, compliance with data security
and privacy legislation such as Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and
the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
(HIPAA) has become a priority, making the security of
critical digital content — including the secure disposal of
electronic files to end the data lifecycle — a fundamental
requirement. At the same time, content providers need
stronger forms of security to protect their digital assets
and enable new business models.
“Securing data on the hard drive is an innovative, yet
commonsense approach that will simplify the deployment and
the adoption of security for data at rest,” said Charles
Kolodgy, research director of security products for analyst
group IDC. “As storage and security converge, solutions like
Seagate’s DriveTrust Technology are leading the way by
providing organizations with the strong, easy-to-use security
they need to protect their data assets.”
Seagate DriveTrust — Simple, Strong Security for Data
at Rest
DriveTrust delivers new levels of simplicity,
transparency and cost- effectiveness for securing digital
information. The Seagate security platform automatically
protects all drive data, not just selected partitions or
files, at all times, and its security functions operate
independently of the hard drive, preserving the hard drive’s
full performance. DriveTrust also offers these benefits:
– With DriveTrust, secure hard drives are as easy to
install and operate as standard drives. The security
capabilities run transparently within the drive with
no need for additional configuration. Set up can be
as simple as creating a password for user
authentication.
– Drive-level security requires no patches, updates
or upgrades, eliminating many of the costs associated
with traditional software solutions. DriveTrust
Technology hard drives free IT organizations from
having to distribute software updates or manage
software versions, ensuring consistent and reliable
security for data at rest.
– Information stored on DriveTrust Technology drives
can be instantly erased, making it easy to re-deploy
and retire the drives and reducing the time and costs
traditionally associated with overwriting and erasing
disc data.
– DriveTrust Technology gives independent software
vendors (ISVs) a platform for building stronger
security applications. The DriveTrust Technology
software developer kit (SDK) includes the documentation
and tools necessary to build DriveTrust Technology-enabled
applications such as access controls needed to manage
encryption keys, passwords and other forms of authentication
for large deployments.
Seagate DriveTrust — Securing Digital Content Across
All Storage Devices
Seagate is committed to an open, standards-based
architecture that will enable the implementation of
DriveTrust Technology across all storage devices. Toward
that end, an independent laboratory is certifying DriveTrust
algorithms including encryption (AES and TripleDES), public
key (RSA), and authentication (SHA-1).
Seagate is also driving toward the ubiquitous security
of digital content through its leadership in the Trusted
Computing Group (TCG), a standards body working to strengthen and
simplify the deployment of computer security. Seagate is standardizing
DriveTrust Technology’s encryption, authentication tools and other
security building blocks in a formal TCG storage specification that
is scheduled for public release in early 2007. The TCG specification
will enable manufacturers of hard drives and devices that use
them to easily deploy security capabilities such as encryption and user
authentication
Dr. Robert Thibadeau, Seagate chief technologist,
chairs TCG’s Storage WorkGroup and serves on the TCG Board
of Directors.
Seagate Delivers DriveTrust Technology with Momentus
5400 FDE.2 and DB35 Series
Seagate currently offers a hard disc drive family
featuring DriveTrust Technology, the DB35 Series hard drives
for digital video recorders (DVRs) and other digital
entertainment devices. The DB35 Series hard drives are the
first to enable manufacturers to lock a drive to the system,
allowing service providers to deploy DVRs that protect
recorded content from illicit copying and distribution if
the 3.5-inch, 7200-RPM drive is removed.
In the first quarter of calendar 2007, Seagate plans to
introduce Momentus 5400 FDE.2 for notebook computers, the
first hard drive with full disc encryption. Momentus 5400
FDE.2 provides an easy, cost-effective way to prevent
unauthorized access to all notebook PC data in case the
system or disc drive is lost, stolen, retired or resold. The
2.5-inch, 5,400-RPM drive’s hardware-based full disc
encryption delivers significantly stronger protection than
traditional encryption approaches by securely performing all
cryptographic operations and access control within the
drive. For users, only a password is needed to self
authenticate for full drive access, while third-party
enhancements enable thumbprint and smart card options for
multi-factor self-authentication. In addition, no time
consuming disc initialization or configuration is required
to deploy the drive.
Seagate at Storage Networking World
Seagate will highlight data security in these forums at
Fall Storage Networking World 2006, October 31 through
November 3 at the JW Marriott Grande Lakes Resort, Orlando
Florida:
Storage Networking Industry Association Solutions
Center
Seagate and software partners SECUDE IT Security and
Wave Systems, leaders in delivering computer security
solutions, will demonstrate state-of-the-art data security
for notebook computers using Momentus 5400 FDE.2 in single-
user and enterprise deployments.
