If you're the type of person who needs to carry sensitive data with you and are worried about it falling into the wrong hands, you might be interested in a new USB flash drive with a self-destruct function that's about to go on sale. later this year.
The Ovrdrive USB, developed by Ryan Walker of Interrupt Labs, is a unique device that heats its flash chip to over 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius) as a safety measure.
The first version of the Ovrdrive USB required wet fingers to activate the drive, a feature that has thankfully since been removed. Instead, it now requires a secret three-push process to securely unlock data. If this process is not followed, the drive's partition remains hidden, making it appear broken (the drive was originally designed to self-destruct, but this proved too difficult for mass production).
No encryption
Ovrdrive USB's self-destruct mechanism reverses the voltage supplied to the device, heating it to about 100 degrees Celsius. While this may not be hot enough to destroy the flash chips, users can add a compound (not supplied for obvious reasons) to ensure complete self-destruct.
Unlike other security-focused flash drives, Ovrdrive USB does not encrypt its contents by default, making it legal in countries where encryption is prohibited. If you need additional protection, you can easily encrypt the USB drive yourself using Windows' BitLocker or the open source VeraCrypt.
The Ovrdrive USB is currently being crowdfunded on Crowd Supply, with a release date set for August 2024. It is priced at $69 with free US domestic shipping (or $12 international shipping) and is currently funded at 104% with 22 days of campaign remaining.
While the Ovrdrive USB is no substitute for the security offered by cryptographic encryption, it is undeniably cool, with a unique physical security feature that wouldn't be out of place on a Mission Impossible movie.
