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The Authenex HDLock Hard Drive Encryption unit, which shipped earlier this month, is a handy way to protect valuable data.
Considering the amount of data that now resides on small systems such as desktops and laptops, the HDLock and products like it are increasingly necessary to protect that data if a machine gets stolen or compromised.
The HDLock works with Windows 2000 and XP machines. It comes with USB keys and is priced at $79.95 per user, sold in groups of 10.
The device uses 128-bit AES to encrypt data on desktop and laptop hard drives.To access data, a user must have two-factor authentication in the form of a password and the Authenex A-Key USB token. Once authenticated, the encryption/decryption process is seamless.
When I tested the HDLock on a standard XP desktop machine, the product was fairly easy to use and had no trouble encrypting all drives on the test system.
The HDLock does not encrypt program file and operating system directories, which could cause problems with patch management and remote desktop management in general.
The Authenex Web site can issue a one-time password to registered users in the event they forget their password.
For more information, see www.authenex.com.
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