Toshiba Wipe deletes your encrypted data so you don't have to
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted August 10th 2010 12:44PM
posted August 10th 2010 12:44PM
Toshiba announced a new self-encrypting disk technology today, which is sure to be welcome news to the those of you who work with sensitive data, wish to keep your extensive True Blood fanfiction collection under wraps, or are just plain paranoid. The imaginatively named Wipe ships with the company's TCG-spec'd Self-Encrypting Drive models, allowing sysadmins to securely erase user data when a machine powers down, when an encrypted HDD is removed from the system, or when a leased machine is returned to its owner. And this ain't just for PCs -- the system is also designed to work with your copier and / or printer system. Interested? Of course you are! Check out the PR after the break -- it's primo stuff.
Toshiba Announces Wipe Technology for Self-Encrypting Disk Drives
New technology improves data security and reduces the risk of data leakage associated with document image data stored on copier and printer systems
TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502) today announced Wipe for Toshiba Self-Encrypting Drive (SED) models, a technology that allows special security capabilities, such as the world's first[1] ability for sensitive user data to be securely erased when a system is powered-down or when a SED HDD is removed from the system. The feature can also be used to securely erase user data prior to returning a leased system, system disposal or re-purposing. Wipe was created as an enhancement to Toshiba's Self-Encrypting Drive (SED) hard disk drives.
Toshiba announced its latest 2.5" 7200rpm SED HDD model in July 2010, to address the increasing need for IT departments to comply with privacy laws and regulations governing data security. Designed to the Trusted Computing Group "Opal" Specification, Toshiba's SED models provide advanced access security and on-board encryption for client systems such as notebook computers.
But lost or stolen notebooks are not the only security risk that IT departments must address. Today, most office copier and printing systems utilize HDD capacity and performance to deliver a highly productive document imaging environment. Many organizations are now realizing the critical importance of maintaining the security of document image data stored within copier and printer systems. Wipe is a technology that can automatically invalidate an HDD security key when its power supply is turned off, instantly making all data in the drive indecipherable. Toshiba's innovative new Wipe Technology adds advanced storage security features to enable system makers to transparently and automatically secure private data.
Copier and Printer systems vendors can now use Toshiba's Wipe Technology to securely invalidate sensitive document image data by automatically erasing the SED's internal encryption key. This feature can easily be used prior to system disposal or re-purposing to ensure that private data never leaves the control of the responsible business unit or IT department.
Toshiba's Wipe Technology may be used to set data invalidation attributes for multiple data ranges. This flexibility provides systems designers with a powerful set of data security capabilities that can be easily incorporated into existing system architecture. Attributes include ...
- Data encryption and secure invalidation on power cycle.
- Data encryption and preservation on power cycle.
In addition to sensitive data stored on client PCs and removable storage devices, many organizations realize that security of "data at rest" must also extend to document images stored on the hard disk drives within copier and printer systems. Toshiba's innovative new Wipe Technology provides advanced storage security features to enable systems makers to transparently and automatically secure private data on office copiers, printers and other types of business imaging systems.
[1] As of August 10, 2010, source by Toshiba
New technology improves data security and reduces the risk of data leakage associated with document image data stored on copier and printer systems
TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502) today announced Wipe for Toshiba Self-Encrypting Drive (SED) models, a technology that allows special security capabilities, such as the world's first[1] ability for sensitive user data to be securely erased when a system is powered-down or when a SED HDD is removed from the system. The feature can also be used to securely erase user data prior to returning a leased system, system disposal or re-purposing. Wipe was created as an enhancement to Toshiba's Self-Encrypting Drive (SED) hard disk drives.
Toshiba announced its latest 2.5" 7200rpm SED HDD model in July 2010, to address the increasing need for IT departments to comply with privacy laws and regulations governing data security. Designed to the Trusted Computing Group "Opal" Specification, Toshiba's SED models provide advanced access security and on-board encryption for client systems such as notebook computers.
But lost or stolen notebooks are not the only security risk that IT departments must address. Today, most office copier and printing systems utilize HDD capacity and performance to deliver a highly productive document imaging environment. Many organizations are now realizing the critical importance of maintaining the security of document image data stored within copier and printer systems. Wipe is a technology that can automatically invalidate an HDD security key when its power supply is turned off, instantly making all data in the drive indecipherable. Toshiba's innovative new Wipe Technology adds advanced storage security features to enable system makers to transparently and automatically secure private data.
Copier and Printer systems vendors can now use Toshiba's Wipe Technology to securely invalidate sensitive document image data by automatically erasing the SED's internal encryption key. This feature can easily be used prior to system disposal or re-purposing to ensure that private data never leaves the control of the responsible business unit or IT department.
Toshiba's Wipe Technology may be used to set data invalidation attributes for multiple data ranges. This flexibility provides systems designers with a powerful set of data security capabilities that can be easily incorporated into existing system architecture. Attributes include ...
- Data encryption and secure invalidation on power cycle.
- Data encryption and preservation on power cycle.
In addition to sensitive data stored on client PCs and removable storage devices, many organizations realize that security of "data at rest" must also extend to document images stored on the hard disk drives within copier and printer systems. Toshiba's innovative new Wipe Technology provides advanced storage security features to enable systems makers to transparently and automatically secure private data on office copiers, printers and other types of business imaging systems.
[1] As of August 10, 2010, source by Toshiba
I'm not familiar with this type of self-erasing disk, but how quick is it? How can a somewhat secure data wipe be so quick? Unless you're working with some large magnets...
@paul34 I have seen some other server class drives that store an encryption key in memory on the hdd then all I/O is encrypted/decrypted as it goes. When it would wipe the drive it just removes the key and it is almost instant loss of all data. Not sure if this is how they do it though..
@paul34 My understanding is that it uses a full-disk encryption and either stores the key in volatile memory or quickly erases the key when powered down. So the contents of the disk aren't really erased so much as rendered functionally useless.
@paul34 it doesn't actually wipe, it just erases the encryption key. so it's not technically impossible to recover the data, just extremely unlikely
@paul34
Seems like it uses a real time encryption for all or part of the hdd, then at the appropriate command, it just "loses" the encryption key. So your data is still there, just no way to access it.
@Charagon i should type faster
@paul34
This product addresses the main issue when companies dispose of the copier/printer and don't even realize that their data exists on the disk drive. So speed is not the main issue--it is not to erase data in the event of a government raid.
@brutek
Well my point was that if you are disconnecting or shutting down the drive, you won't have a few days to sit around waiting for the drive to "erase" in the normal manner. The encryption key method sounds good. Thanks for the replies everyonke.
but what about hash collisions?!?!
@paul34 This is basicly HDD for pedophiles, spys, terrorists etc. Nice one Toshiba, you just made their life so much easier.
I want one of these just to feed my paranoid side.
@dotCARBON Oh, dang. It just erased my sensitive data. Can't get it back please!!!
This will be great for the next time I get raided.
@Plazmic Flame
The next time you get RAIDed. heheh... no? anyone? *sigh*
@Plazmic Flame humm... it can't erase child porn. (Not that I think you have any of that. :))
While we are discussing True Blood ... SOOKEH
I definitely don't need this. I apparently have been graced with such amazing luck that none of my hard drives last a decent amount of time. I could probably kill one on the spot by simply looking at it and concentrating.
One word DBAN. Includes many formatting methods including the Mil Spec for hard drive erasure.
http://www.dban.org/
@annoyingposter3
if you have forever to wait around then yeah, that works. this seems more or less instantaneous though.
side topic to the article,
i found Harry Potter to have the most disturbing fan fiction.
Fat Boys FTW!
I fail to see how the "erase data on power off" could be useful in laptops. There just seem to be too many risks of accidental/unexpected power loss there for the security to outweigh the potentially huge inconvenience. Maybe they would work in enterprise servers that use 2.5" disks that are backed up by UPSs and generators, but even then I'd worry that my data is only as persistent as my power source.