First Look: n-Tegrity Pro secure USB thumb drive appliance

What it is:
USB stick with fingerprint authentication, AES or Blowfish file encryption, secure partition and platform for hosting and launching applications. Plug this little baby in and launch apps, store files, send emails, and sign documents all without leaving a trace on the host computer. Capacity ranges from 256K to 4 Gigs.  

n-Tegrity Pro
n-Trance Security Ltd
http://www.n-trance.biz/

How it does it:
n-Tegrity Pro combines a proprietary biometric authentication application (all properly documented and publicly discussed in academic papers, of course), file encryption (using your choice of AES, Blowfish or other popular encryption options), and a logical partition for secure file storage.

Status:
The product is shipping is currently sold through a few channels in Europe and on Amazon.

Cost:
Starts at $45, up to $200. I tested the Pro version with 1 Gig of memory selling for about $90.

Early Review:
I opened the box and installed it in seconds. Within five or six minutes I was a power user (after I figured out that I have to swipe my finger three times to enroll instead of just one). The software running on my device is n-Pass Pro 2.4.76.336. I inserted it in a USB port of my old IBM ThinkPad T42 running Windows XP (updated) and was pleased at how quickly the n-Tegrity Pro was detected. After registering two fingers using the biometric reader, a navigation window offered me options to launch the embedded applications like Skype or Miranda instant messaging. I selected Internet Explorer and surfed away, hardly detecting any latency given the fact that the app and its caches were being completely housed on the stick. At one point, mid operation, I ripped the stick out to see what would crash. Nothing did. The n-Tegrity Pro icon in the system tray simply disappeared. When I reinserted the device in the USB port I counted to ten and was presented with the fingerprint authentication request, slid my left thumb across the reader and was instantly back in action. Encrypting was just as easy. I dragged a file into the reader and right clicked. I found the functions of this powerful device and its elegant software to be intuitive and supremely useful. The device has an integrated cover and comes with a lanyard – an important protection for me because I lose everything! 

Other capabilities listed on the website are

• n-Pass Pro – biometrically enabled VPN and RDC connection
• n-Crypt –shell-integrated biometrically-enabled cryptographic application for files and folders
• Encrypted Virtual Disks
• FIPS 140-2 Level 1 compliant RNG
• Selectable cryptographic algorithms from the list of 7 most powerful (such as RSA-2048 key pair, AES-256, etc)

I mentioned IE, Miranda and Skype, but there are many apps you could launch from the flash disk. A list of compliant applications is available HERE.

The competition:
USB sticks combining secure file storage are a dime a dozen these days. Well, maybe $500 a dozen, but you get the idea. The n-Trance solution combines applications, secure files, password storage, and so many other uses neatly contained in a form factor with its own secure biometric authentication and encryption engine.

Gripes:
Not much to gripe about at this point. It does what it claims. The Quick Start Guide is not written as clearly as it could be. And I look forward to support of Linux and Mac.

How to Buy:
Europeans can go to their local   UniEuro Market in Italy, Netherlands, Hungary and Russia where you’ll likely find the products displayed next to new computers.

Everyone else can go to Amazon

Net:
Score 4.5 out of 5. Very cool device that is inexpensive enough to replace if you lose it and powerful enough to use every day.

Comments

[Teresa]

Thanks for the review. This is something I've been meaning to pick up - especially good for when I travel. I just got around to ordering one.