As of late, several organizations including civil services and the ministry of defense, have been embarrassed by the revelation of secrets because of lost memory sticks. The security of these information carriers has since become a hot issue. The Secustick promises to be the ultimate solution.
The most common technique to protect data is encryption, but Sipal International has come up with a different solution that brings to mind the Mission Impossible movies: a memory stick that will self-destruct after an incorrect password has been entered more than a set number of times. The stick was commissioned by the French government and - according to the company's press release - the result is revolutionary, ultra safe and approved by the French intelligence service. Beside the French government, the stick is reportedly also used in the defense and banking industries, with Dassault and Crédit Agricole believed to be among its users.
Armed with a gigabyte of storage capacity, the stick retails in the Netherlands for 130 euros (175 USD), which is quite a lot, since most 1GB USB sticks are sold for a mere 20 euros (27 USD). However, the Secustick differs from most ordinary USB sticks because of its ability to self-destruct. On paper, the features look good and it appears as if the stick may be worth its price. Tweakers.net got its hands on a number of them and decided to test if they could live up to its promises.