I tested the best accessory to save your photos and data on your mobile with military-level security

Kingston is very popular for any memory related accessories or hardware like its PC RAM sticks. Its USB Flash memory drives are also well known, but perhaps not as much ones dedicated to data security as it is. the Kingston Ironkey Keypad 200C that we were able to test in EL ESPAÑOL – El Androide Libre.

This great accessory for storing data from your mobile phone or even a laptop or PC, can be purchased in Europe at the price of 178.14 dollars in its 32 GB version with USB Type-C connection. There are variants that range from 8 GB for 109.99 dollars to 512 GB for 376.99 dollars; and the USB type-A option, but without the possibility of accessing the 512 GB model.

A USB key characterized by its FIPS 140-3 level 3 certification, be device or operating system independent, multi-PIN, USB 3.2 Gen 1 and a read speed of 280 MB per second. In this case, in EL ESPAÑOL – El Androide Libre we have been able to test the device with USB Type-C so that we can connect it to any device, whether it is a cell phone, a tablet, laptop or PC.

There flexibility offered by this type of connection allows you to take this USB drive anywhere to connect it to your mobile at any time and keep any file or multimedia content downloaded to your mobile or tablet safe, adding greater value to your experience by having an encryption system based on 256-hardware XTS-AES.

As you can see from the photographs taken of the Kingston USB Type-C reader, it has a alphanumeric keyboard that allows you to enter the access PIN code to all the files it contains. There is another important factor to avoid any type of attack against components: their the circuits are covered with a layer of epoxy particular meaning that if a tampering attempt is made, the components would be damaged in order to alert the user that there has been obvious tampering.

Kingston has forgotten nothing in terms of protection and even The keys are covered with a layer of polymer which, in addition to protecting them, hides the pressing of them and thus avoids the analysis of possible fingerprint marks.

Another strong point of the Kingston Ironkey Keypad 200C is that it includes rechargeable battery to unlock the device without using software and keep the key completely independent of platforms and operating systems.

Use experience

Having an encrypted USB drive has its advantages, but also you have to get used to unlocking it and using itbecause if for some reason you forget the user PIN, you will need to use the admin PIN (provided it has been created) to access the content.

If both were forgotten or an administrator PIN had not been created, there would be no choice but to reset the KP200 and lose its contents. To create a PIN there is also a series of established criteria: must be between 8 and 15 digits long and must not contain only repeating or consecutive digits.

That It is always recommended to enter the PIN before logging in the USB stick to a laptop, tablet or mobile phone. Especially because it is more convenient: press the key button (the flashing red LED lights up), enter the PIN code and press the same button again so that the LED light turns green, warning of the unlocking of the device. You can now log in to access the data without any problems.

Every time you log out It is recommended on Android to eject the player from the status bar. Otherwise, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra will force the mobile to restart itself to ensure that the storage unit is in good condition. Another point to take into account: connecting the USB Type C key to a laptop is not the same as connecting it to a mobile phone (on a Galaxy S24 Ultra you have to remove the case for it to connect correctly) .

Another recommendation is to have the manual nearby or the PDF in order to recover the user’s PIN or reset it in case of problems or if someone simply tried to access its contents. The unit locks after reaching the maximum number of 10 user login attempts. The administrator PIN would be used to unlock it, but if for some reason it was entered incorrectly 10 times in a row, force attack protection would wipe the disk removing all its data.

I buy it?

The Kingston Ironkey Keypad 200C USB key is a very sweet candy to put in your mouth and protect downloaded or created files even from mobile. In fact, we wanted to try the USB Type C version for this reason, as it’s a great accessory for your cell phone or tablet (as well as a laptop or PC).

It offers the maximum possible security in data encryption and in our case, in unity with the connection that has become universal in the European Union (in Europe any electronic product launched on the market must have it), it’s a gadget very special in finishes, design and experience And, repeat, especially since it can be connected to your mobile or tablet to protect any file at any time. And yes, the purchase is more than recommended.