Kingston DataTraveler Vault Privacy (4GB)

The world is a scary place, and some of your most valuable data?be it medical information, business records, or government secrets?lives not on paper, but in zeros and ones. To keep your private data safe and secure, Kingston has the DataTraveler Vault Private, the single-user companion to the Kingston DataTraveler Vault Privacy-Managed Edition. With end-to-end encryption and a rugged design, it protects your data from almost anything that gets thrown at it.

The 4GB drive has very little preinstalled software, leaving you 3.68 GB of storage space. Formated in FAT32, the drive works with both Windows and Mac operating systems, letting you go from one to the other and back again without having to reformat the drive or install and conversion software. And unlike the consumer-grade Kingston DataTraveler Locker+ G2 (16GB), the DataTravaler Vault Privacy also supports Linux.

The drive earns the Vault Privacy name with 256-bit AES encryption in Cipher Block Chaining (CBC) mode. This is end-to-end hardware based encryption, meeting the same requirements needed for storing actual Top Secret government documents. On a regular drive, you'll need to use something like the CipherUSB to protect it with similar levels of encryption. With the DataTraveler Vault Privacy, you'll just need to set up a password. You'll need a password to even use the drive, and then unlock the drive with that password everytime you need to use it.

The design is also rugged to physically protect your data against moisture, dirt, and more. The aluminum case and locking cap provide protection against shock and crushing forces, while the cap seals out water up to four feet deep. While that ruggedness makes for a well-protected drive, it's a little chunky, measuring 0.5 by 0.9 by 3.1 inches (HWD)?just enough to potentially crowd an adjacent USB port?and weighs 0.5 ounce.

The initial setup is very simple?the entire process involves choosing a password, and it takes moments?but be sure you pick a password you'll remember. Once you've set your password, the drive will be discoverable by the PC, and you can open and use it just like any other drive. For a slightly easier, yet equally secure, option, there' always the Aegis Secure Key, which offers hardware based locking.

Don't forget the password! The drive's security has a lock feature which only allows 10 incorrect password attempts in a row before reformatting the drive and wiping out the data. This security feature prevents brute-force attacks from unlocking the drive. As an added dose of security, this 10-count doesn't reset when the drive is unplugged and plugged back in?so make sure you remember your password.

Also included on the drive is a program called Drive Security, a product of ESET and ClevX, which can be used to scan the drive for any security issues, such as malware or viruses. Kingston guarantees the drive with a five-year warranty and free technical support.

In our timed data transfer test, the drive offered 35 MBps write speeds and 10 MBps read speeds. That's faster than the consumer-oriented Editors' Choice, the DataTraveler Locker+, which had an average of 21MBps read and 12MBps write speed. It's also reasonably priced. While the 4GB capacity is a bit small?larger models are available (8, 16, 32, and 64GB)?the drive sells for $42.00 list, or $10.50 per GB. By comparison, the hardware locked Aegis Secure Key sells the same 4GB capacity for $65?or $16.25 per GB.

The Kingston DataTraveler Vault Privacy is a solid option for the security minded, with high-grade hardware-based encryption, a rugged design, and a decent price. Add it all up, and it takes a place alongside the best secure drives we've reviewed, though the Aegis Secure Key remains our top pick due its innovative physical keypad.

COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the Kingston DataTraveler Vault Privacy (4GB) with several other flash drives side by side.

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