Review: Aegis Bio 3.0 hard drive ideal for security conscious users
Apricorn’s Aegis Bio 3.0 pairs solid performance with enhanced security features to create a nice, all-around external hard drive. The Aegis Bio harnesses biometrics to make sure you (and only you) have access to your data.
The pocket-sized hard drive comes with a built-in fingerprint scanner than helps alleviates any worries of unapproved access to the drive. Fingerprint access might sound like a bit of a novelty, but from a security standpoint it actually makes sense; passwords can be cracked—fingerprints, not so much.
It’s more expensive than other portable drives—the 1TB Seagate Backup Plus can be for just over $100—but the Aegis Bio is aimed at users with security concerns.
Programming a new Aegis Bio 3.0 to recognize your fingerprint is a relatively straightforward task; just plug it in and wait for the green light to start blinking, then swipe your finger and repeat. Eventually, both a green and a blue light will remain solid, meaning your fingerprint has been stored and you can begin using the drive. Apricorn says that it should take most people about six finger swipes before the drive fully recognizes it, but I had to perform 11 swipes. The Aegis Bio can store up to five different fingerprints, enabling you to allow friends, family, or coworkers access to the drive.
You can add additional fingerprints at any time, but as a sort of confirmation, you first must scan a fingerprint that is already registered with the drive. If the Aegis Bio 3.0 has five registered fingerprints and you want to remove and/or add new ones, you have to completely reset the Aegis Bio 3.0 and rescan the prints. Performing the full reset on the system will wipe it clean of all data and stored prints. Seems like a hassle, but it’s actually a nice little feature that insures that your data will be safe and private even if the drive gets stolen.
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
http://www.macworld.com/article/2035461/review-aegis-bio-3-0-hard-drive-ideal-for-security-conscious-users.html#tk.rss_all
