Toshiba Enhances Self-Encrypting Drives with Wipe Technology

Toshiba has rolled out a new technology for its self-encrypting hard disks that provides additional security features to prevent data leakage. 

The Japan based company said that Wipe technology for its SED models was capable of automatically deleting sensitive user information stored on the HDDs when the system is turned-off or the hard drive is removed from the system.

The new features will come in handy in managing and deleting sensitive data from a system when it is returned after the lease period expires, when the system is being disposed-off or is being sent for maintenance, the company explained. Wipe is targeted at organizations that have an obligation towards protecting sensitive user information and can save them hefty fines and embarrassment if a data leak was to happen. The new feature has been designed to securely delete the information stored in the hard drive when a system is lost or stolen for nefarious purposes.

Toshiba also added that many copiers or printers supported hard disks in order to store the documents printed through them for data recalling purposes. This factor posed a huge data security risk for IT administrators who are already neck-deep in complying with stringent security protocols defined by data security watchdogs. Anyone wishing to steal information can do so by simply accessing the hard drives on these printers and copiers. However, by using the Wipe-enabled SEDs, IT administrators can make sure that the data is securely and automatically deleted when the machine is powered-down, eliminating the risk of data being stored on the hard drive.