Security and manageability for new full disk encryption hard drives

WinMagic and Fujitsu announced that their products together provide comprehensive, enterprise-class and manageable security for data-at-rest. The companies’ technologies – the WinMagic SecureDoc software and the Fujitsu full disk encryption (FDE) hard disk drive (HDD) technology – provide a security solution to protect data stored on desktop and notebook systems.

The Fujitsu FDE HDD features encryption technology and advanced security functions built directly into the hardware. It addresses organizations’ needs to securely and instantly make data on the drive inaccessible when redeploying or disposing of the physical hardware. The “advanced secure erase” feature immediately invalidates every piece of data by changing the in-drive encryption key. The process takes less than a second and provides the same level of data invalidation as physically destroying the hard disk drive. Whether the laptop is lost or stolen, or an IT administrator uses the advanced secure erase feature, the data on the drive is not recoverable.

The WinMagic solution features centrally manageable security functions through the administration console, SecureDoc Enterprise Server (SES). SES offers enterprise-class functions such as ‘silent’ software installation, interoperability with Active Directory, remote password recovery, policy management, dynamic key provisioning and encryption key management. The collaboration from Fujitsu and WinMagic ensured the compatibility of the software and FDE HDD. This combined solution was developed to meet industry standards and will offer the following benefits:

• The performance of Fujitsu hardware-based encryption with the flexibility to manage these new drives in an enterprise environment including legacy drives (with software encryption) and other manufacturers’ encrypted hard drives.
• Low total cost of ownership. Hardware based encryption can reduce deployment and maintenance requirements, especially when combined with the powerful and flexible administration tools available with SecureDoc Enterprise Server (SES).
• Strong AES 256-bit encryption in both the hardware and software.
• ‘Defense-in-depth’ for sensitive data with the ability to supplement the hard disk encryption from Fujitsu with additional SecureDoc encryption. Data within the hard disk can be additionally encrypted for specific users or user groups with file/folder encryption, and/or container encryption. Data moving from the encrypted hard disk can be encrypted with removable media encryption for CDs/DVDs and USB devices – or blocked from movement with port control or disk access control.
• Enhanced security with the integration of SecureDoc’s advanced and multi-factor authentication at pre-boot including PKI, smartcards, TPM, tokens and biometrics.

Fujitsu hard disks will meet the Opal Security Subsystem Class (SSC) specification to be published by the Trusted Computing Group (TCG) Storage Work Group (SWG) in early 2009. The Opal specification provides an open industry standard that will enhance interoperability and fulfill corporate IT security requirements.