Corsair, a worldwide leader in high-performance computer and flash memory products, today announced the availability of its new Flash Padlock 2 secure USB flash drive. This unique USB flash drive is very cleverly and comprehensively designed to protect your critical business or personal data from unwanted exposure.

The Flash Padlock 2 employs two security technologies for superb data protection. The first of these technologies is a user-definable personal identification number or PIN. To unlock the drive and access the data, this PIN is entered using the drive's integrated numeric keypad. The Flash Padlock 2 cannot be accessed without correctly entering the PIN for that individual drive. The second technology used is secure 256-bit AES data encryption of the drive contents. 256-bit AES is recognized worldwide by both corporations and governments as the premier standard for data protection, and its use in the Flash Padlock 2 ensures that data protection cannot be compromised by disassembling the drive to gain access to the flash ICs."USB flash drives are the floppy disk of the 21st century, and their capacity and convenience allows us to carry our lives with us wherever we go," stated John Beekley, Vice President of Technical Marketing at Corsair. "The Flash Padlock 2 provides valuable protection against loss of personal or corporate data as well as identity theft, allowing us to carry the most personal of data with complete peace-of-mind, and in a rugged, portable, convenient format."

Another key feature of the Padlock 2 is platform independence. Most hardware-encrypted USB flash drives require the use of a software application to enter the password for the device. However, the Flash Padlock 2 has an integrated keypad, so no software application is necessary. This allows the user to access their secure data in any environment, including Windows PCs, Macs, Linux computers, even gaming consoles and home entertainment equipment.

The new Flash Padlock 2 features several enhancements of the original award-winning Padlock drive. In addition to implementing 256-bit AES hardware encryption, the security of the communication between the on-board processor and the USB controller has been dramatically increased. The Flash Padlock 2 also includes the ability to create a new PIN in the event the original PIN is lost, a procedure which securely erases the contents of the drive. Finally, the enclosure is smaller and has been ruggedized, providing your data with protection from the elements as well as from prying eyes.

The Flash Padlock 2 has a capacity of 8GB, and is available immediately from Corsair's authorized distributors and resellers worldwide. The Corsair Flash Padlock 2 is backed by a 10-year Limited Warranty. Complete customer support via telephone, email, forum and Tech Support Xpress is also available.

More information about the Corsair Flash Padlock 2 USB flash drive can be found here.