Today not only interested parties can get their hands on a large number of encrypted USB flash drives, portable hard drives and portable solid state drives featuring either software or hardware based encryption but they can also choose between several different types of user authentication such as integrated keypads, PC/MAC software and even bluetooth connectivity. Sure, I could break it deliberately (by taking a hammer to the USB connector, or hitting it with a welding torch), and I'm sure that there are accidents I could suffer involving fire or explosions or deep water that would kill an IronKey D300, but I wouldn't care because those accidents would have bought my life to an end far sooner.Even though data safety/security has always been of paramount importance in some areas of the industry (corporate espionage) and even the government we've never seen as many encrypted USB storage solutions available in the market as we have today. It's highly unlikely that I'm going to accidentally break the IronKey D300.

Some saw their demise after being crushed, others got exposed to water or dirt, while others just broke while in use (I had one break as I tried to take it out of the packaging it was encased in).

It's also fair to say that I've broken a lot of USB flash drives in my time. Everything takes on a 'well worn' look way ahead of its time, and my most delicate and precious possessions - iPhone, Apple Watch, and so on - have to live inside armored cases to have a fighting chance of making it to old age.

Regular readers will know of my proclivity for being hard on the devices I own. Must read: Don't buy these Apple products: February 2020 edition

Ironkey d300 encrypted usb flash drive