iStorage DATASHUR BT Overview
The DATASHUR BT from iStorage is a USB 3.2 (Gen 1) hardware-encrypted USB flash drive that comes in a variety of capacities. For this review, iStorage provided their 64 GB variant of the iStorage DATASHUR BT. However, the DATASHUR BT comes in capacities from 4 GB up to 128 GB. The iStorage DATASHUR BT has an advertised read speed of 170 MB/s and an advertised write speed of 130 MB/s. As flash drives go, the iStorage DATASHUR BT is a bit on the heavier side weighing in at 16.5 grams, a little over a half an ounce. This is due to its durable metal housing. The dimensions of the iStorage DATASHUR BT are 60mm in height, 18 mm in width, and 7.5 mm in depth. The iStorage DATASHUR BT also comes with a 3.7V Li-Polymer Rechargeable Battery built-in that charges while it’s plugged into your computer.
The DATASHUR BT from iStorage offers multi-factor smartphone (Android and iOS) secure wireless user-authentication via an encrypted Bluetooth® channel between the phone and the drive. Essentially, you plug in the drive to your PC, then unlock it via an app on your Andriod or iPhone. To unlock your DATESHUR BT you can use either a traditional password between 7 and 15 characters long or through the use of biometrics such as facial recognition or fingerprint scanner. The data you store on the DATASHUR BT is encrypted in real-time using an FIPS certified AES-XTS 256-bit hardware encryption algorithm. The iStorage DATASHUR BT works with pretty much all operating systems including Windows, MAC, Linux, Chrome OC, Andriod, Citrix, and VMWARE.
The DATASHUR BT uses a USB Type-A connector and a USB 3.2 (Gen 1) interface. On the outside edge of the USB Type-A connector, there is a series of numbers and letters. This is the device ID for your specific drive. The device ID is required for the registration and initial setup of the drive within the app iStorage has set up for your mobile device.
Looking at the front of the iStorage V, we see the Storage logo on the drive’s housing. Both the housing on the DATASHUR BT and the cap to the USB connector are made from metal. This makes the DATASHUR BT very durable and less likely to be damaged if dropped or stepped on. Which I did try for the purposes of this review. I dropped and stepped on both the DATASHUR BT and a cheap 32 GB flash drive I purchased from Microcenter. Both drives were fine after being dripped. However, the Microcenter drive cracked when I stepped on it as it was made out of plastic. However, the DATASHUR BT didn’t even get a scratch. At the opposite end of the Type-A connector, the end cap is made up of plastic. There is also a spot to attach the iStorage DATASHUR BT to a keychain or lanyard.
Looking at the back of the iStorage DATASHUR BT, we find the DATASHUR BT branding and the capacity of the drive. In our case, we received a 64 GB model. The back of the drive is also where you can find the serial number on your drive. There is also a link to the iStorage website
The iStorage DATASHUR BT has an LED indicator light near the back of the drive. When the drive is locked, the LED will flash red. When the drive is unlocked, the LED is solid blue. I tried for 10 minutes to get an image of the LED red, but I couldn’t do it. Every picture I took, the LED would be off. Now, this is usually the part of the review where I’d disassemble the drive to take a closer look at the actual ICs on the PCB. However, I was informed by iStorage that the DATASHUR BT is actually tamper-proof and any attempt to disassemble the drive would actually destroy the data due to the safety measures iStorage has implemented on the DATASHUR BT. So, I was unable to disassemble the take pictures of the PCB and ICs. Now, let’s get into the app that accompanies the iStorage DATASHUR BT.