The second generation Corsair flash drive called the Padlock 2 USB drive is now available. When you take into account the high storage capacity and portability of the drives these days, the risk of data loss in the event of theft or a misplaced flash drive can be great.

The new Corsair drive hopes to alleviate some of this security risk by protecting personal data using two methods. The first is a user defined 4-10 digit security PIN (personal identification number). Without the correct PIN number, the stored data on the USB flash drive is inaccessible. In the event that you forget your PIN code, the only way to reset it is by restoring the device back to the factory default settings and clearing the data at the same time.

The second security technology employed to lock down the drive is 256-bit AES data encryption, an encryption protocol that is well recognized by corporate and government agencies alike for its data protection capabilities. Deploying this technology makes it significantly harder for someone to pry the drive out of it’s casing and subsequently trying to access the flash ICs.

Unlike some of the other hardware encrypted USB flash drives, the Corsair requires no software applications due to the presence of the integrated numeric keypad. As such, this device works with a variety of platforms including Windows, Linux, Mac as well as gaming consoles.

The Flash Padlock 2 comes with an 8GB storage capacity, a 10-year Limited Warranty and retails for $59.

Via: Hot Hardware