SecureDrive BT

For those who want more storage capacity, be it as an encrypted backup drive or a one-stop solution for larger files to carry around, the SecureDrive BT is exactly that—an external, portable drive using an SSD or HDD with the same support as the SecureUSB BT. The options here range from 1 to 5 TB for HDDs (12.5 mm thickness for 1 and 2 TB HDDs, 20.5 mm for 4 and 5 TB HDDs) and 50 GB to 8 TB for SSDs (all 12.5 mm thick).


Packaging is more convenient too, with a hard plastic container that is locked in place via side tabs, and has all the salient features printed on the front and back. The drive itself is held in place between two shaped plastic pieces, which in turn have foam on the other side for further stability and protection during transit. SecureDrive includes a quick start guide (online copy here) as well as as a USB cable. The cable terminates in a standard USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type A connector on one end, but a 10-pin USB 3.1 Gen 1 Micro Type B super-speed connector on the other to help make the most of connection speeds. This means backwards compatibility with USB 2.0 ports is restricted to USB ports/hubs that provide enough power only, so keep that in mind.


The SecureDrive BT would not look out of place next to the SecureUSB BT, with a similar ID going well here, too. We see the same level of build quality with the metallic blue finish to the case, and this particular 1 TB SSD version measures in at 127 x 77 x 12.5 mm, as well as ~250 grams for those thinking about portability. There is a sticker with the quick setup information, which can easily be peeled off once you are done with it, and the printed serial number to get you going. A plastic cover over a glossy section at the end houses the indicator LEDs, so be sure to peel it off before use. The drive gets its power via the USB bus, and the rest of the feature set as far as encryption goes is identical to that of the SecureUSB BT with AES-XTS 256-bit hardware encryption across any OS and FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certification under application.


The 1 TB SSD version of the SecureDrive BT uses the excellent Samsung 860 EVO, which has over time proven to be reliable and with great performance for a SATA 3 drive. Given the USB connection here, it makes for a good choice, and I am personally happy (and relieved) to see SecureDrive has not skimped with a no-name SSD.


Getting started with the drive is identical to the SecureUSB BT, with the average end user using the DataLock mobile app on a Bluetooth-enabled device, pairing the drive to it, and using the device ID as a unique identifier to set up the drive and lock/unlock it. In addition to the quick start guide, a detailed user manual is available online . It walks you through the installation process and the other features in the app we saw before, including 2-factor authentication, password changes or unlocks via fingerprint/face recognition, and inactivity/step-away autolock.


If you have a remote management license for this drive, you can make use of the managed app for the user and admin app for the administrator, as before with the SecureUSB BT. In addition to the mobile apps, the license brings with it a web console for a more convenient means of drive management. It prompts you to create an admin account and set up 2FA, so you will need to have your respective mobile device on you for additional security regardless.


Once logged in, the drive can be registered to your admin account, and you can create and assign users. Whenever a user accesses the drive, the admin can monitor activity accordingly. The web console is a dashboard for management, with the mobile apps still needed for individual users to access the drive as before. If you have multiple drives on file, the console allows for the assignment of drives on a per-user basis and, for those who need it, inside a set location area as well.


Indeed, geofencing is a key feature offered in this tool, allowing the admin to restrict access to the drive to a certain location only. Shown above are example images of this in action since I could not show it in practice without, ironically, compromising my own privacy. In addition to spatial fencing, there is a time-fencing option, so user access can be restricted to, say, work hours. I personally could not really be bothered to use it for myself, but I can definitely appreciate that there are scenarios in shared work spaces where such options are handy. Other options available with the remote management license include remote reset/wipe of the drive, remote unlocking, and user privilege revoking. There is definitely a lot of control with remote management, but the fee being an annual subscription on a per-drive basis does mean that it is not a trivial expense.


SecureDrive rates the drive with a transfer speed of up to 355 MB/s write and 333 MB/s read. As before, take manufacturer numbers provided without context with a grain of salt. With the same test setup as for the other drives, the SecureDrive BT fared very well in write speeds and came close to the rated read speeds, noting that different test conditions can account for the difference in sequential performances. The SSD in use here helps with the smaller-size file transfers as well, and the drive as a whole was a pleasure to use throughout the weeks of testing and while abroad for work.

The SecureDrive BT series comes in 1/2/4/5 TB capacity offerings for HDDs and 0.25/0.5/1/2/4/8 TB capacity options for SSDs, with the lineup costing between $285 and $3639 from the SecureDrive store and this specific 1 TB SSD model coming in at $559 as of the date of this article. The optional remote management license is an additional $24.95 per year per drive. The drive by itself can not be directly compared to the examined USB thumb drives because it serves a different purpose in offering way more space with a different form factor. It makes for an excellent backup drive, while retaining enough portability to serve a more general purpose in these days of file sizes getting larger and larger. You do pay more for the convenience, however, especially since these use 2.5" or 3.5" internal storage drives that can be had for less by themselves, but then again, you can also get a USB flash drive without any encryption for far less, too.