Kingston, a leader in memory products, will position the IronKey product line to deliver FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certification solutions for customers who need the highest level of encryption and security. Kingston will ensure a smooth transition for existing IronKey customers and will work with its collective partners to enable access to sales and technical support, plus access to Kingston’s world-class product and service resources.

The 'Kingston IronKey' will be the company’s top of the line, as well as the industry’s most secure, USB Flash drive featuring FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certification. FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certification that is a requirement for civilian and government agencies as well as military branches in the United States and Canada.

The certification is also often a requirement or guideline for financial and healthcare industry organisations. It required a tamper-evident seal for physical security to detect and respond to attempts to access, use or modify the cryptographic module. The certification requires rigorous testing by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It is a benchmark for security and reliability for agencies and enterprise organisations looking for the highest level of encryption.

It will maintain its encrypted DataTraveler products. Its close software partner DataLocker Inc. will continue to manage the SafeConsole and Enterprise Management Services (EMS) platforms that both Kingston and IronKey managed encrypted drives utilise.

“The encrypted USB market continues to be viable as there is always the need for governmental agencies and organisations of all levels to protect mobile data,” said Nathan Su, Flash Memory Sales Director, APAC Region, Kingston. “Many IronKey products today support legacy NAND technology. Kingston will leverage our longstanding relationships with Flash memory semiconductors, controller partners and other component makers as well as our strong channel presence to bring IronKey products into the future and to new customers.” 

The recent purchase of IronKey’s technology and assets allow Kingston to focus on its core strength of encrypted USB drives. As part of the acquisition, Kingston has sold the encrypted external HDD business to DataLocker, whose product portfolio already includes similar solutions. The deal further strengthens the partnership between the two companies.