SSDs and Fast Erase

Block Diagram of a Typical SSDThe SSD Guy has run across some confusion lately about fast erase on SSDs.  It’s time to clear this up.

SSDs can undergo a very fast erase, and have had that capability for a number of years.  After ruggedness this is probably the key reason the military is so enamored with SSDs.

Let’s say that you were out to capture a major terrorism kingpin and your helicopter crashed.  How would you assure that the Continue reading “SSDs and Fast Erase”

The SSD You Can’t Fly With

Press photo of Boeing 747-8 (courtesy of Boeing Corp.)RunCore has just introduced a wonderfully innovative new SSD feature that could create new problems for air travel.

From the company’s press release: “RunCore’s Xapear is a smart USB 2.0 connected SSD solution with RFID protection, allowing you to split your data into a freely accessible partition, and a hidden partition that only becomes accessible by applying a special RFID key to your SSD. Furthermore, the Xapear offers remote data destruction by simply sending an SMS over your GSM from your mobile device to the integrated GSM receiver, which then will immediately start Continue reading “The SSD You Can’t Fly With”

SSD Fast Erase

All the NAND chips in an SSD can be erased simultaneouslyAn interesting feature that exists in many SSDs is the ability to quickly erase all the data on the device.  The military is especially interested in this feature because it helps prevent sensitive data from falling into the wrong hands.

For example, let’s say your helicopter crashed when on a mission to assassinate the leader of a major terrorist organization.  If the HDD or SSD inside the cockpit was recovered by that organization the data might be extracted to help undermine future missions. Continue reading “SSD Fast Erase”