Kingston IronKey Vault Privacy 80ES Review

The Kingston IronKey Vault Privacy AES is a hardware-encrypted external SSD that utilises the USB 3.2 Gen 1 interface to connect to your computer for data transfer, and also features a colour touchscreen for authentication through a number and alphabetical keypad.

Unlike software encryption for your portable SSD, hardware encryption is far more secure and places a complete block on any computer accessing the data until the correct password is entered. Once you connect the drive to your computer, only power is delivered to the device, and only after the password has been entered is the data section of the drive unlocked, so you can access the contents.

What’s more, even if you try to access the drive internally, there is enough security surrounding the SSD to halt any brute force extraction attempts.

The drive also features its own OS-independent, with cross-platform compatible system, which means it works equally well with iOS, Windows, Android and macOS. All you need to do is plug it in, enter your password, and it will appear like any other hard drive on your computer.

Kingston has essentially designed this drive for SMBs, content creators, and any professional using valuable data, which makes it ideal if you have client shots you need to transfer securely. The fact that the drive is completely secure means you can pop it in the post knowing that the contents will be safe, while the build quality also ensures durability.

The drive is available in several different capacities, ranging from 480 GB, 960 GB, 1.92 TB, 3.84 TB, and 7.68 TB, meaning it can handle everything from administrative documents to large image and video files that would otherwise take ages to transfer using online services.

There’s no doubt that the Kingston IronKey Vault Privacy AES is something a little different from your usual portable SSD. Firstly, it comes in a smart anodised colour with the solid zinc and plastic shell giving a high-quality look, which is good considering the cost of this SSD. In this review, I’m looking at the 3.84 TB version, and while the capacity may change, the general size and weight remain the same at 122.5 × 84.2 × 18.5 mm and X grams.

The drive itself is slightly larger than some portable SSDs, but with the decent capacity and added security, you can’t help but be impressed by the overall aesthetics and build quality.

Dominating the drive is the large touchscreen on the front, which enables access once set up. There are several different scenarios for configuration, but essentially, you plug in one of the USB cables from the drive into your computer, which supplies power and initiates the built-in OS to run you through the setup process.

Once you’ve set it up with the required password, you can utilise it like any other portable SSD, although there are performance limitations due to the additional security and the USB 3.2 Gen 1 interface.

The user interface is nicely laid out and easy to navigate, with a standard keypad appearing when you plug it in. After configuration, this enables quick access to the drive.

One thing I liked when the unit arrived was that it felt solid and high-quality. To help keep it protected, there’s also a neoprene case that slips inside neatly, with a small pocket at the front to hold the cable. It would have been nice if that pocket were more secure, although the cable does fit inside the zipped section if needed.

On the outside, the IronKey Vault Privacy AES just looks like a fancy portable SSD with its blue anodised outer, making it rugged. It’s worth pointing out that the USB-C port is exposed, so there’s no water or dust protection, but the high-quality build means it is extremely robust and more resilient to knocks and bumps than most.

The key feature of the drive is the security, with FIPS 197-certified XTS-AES 256-bit encryption and a Common Criteria EAL5+ processor.

Compared to a standard portable SSD, the most obvious difference aside from the slightly larger form factor is the large touchscreen on the front. This activates as soon as you plug in the drive, enabling you to enter your passcode or passphrase for an extra level of security.

Many advanced features are hidden within the drive, including brute force protection that, if triggered, will activate a crypto-erase after 15 failed attempts.

The drive also features BadUSB protection via digitally signed firmware.
When you plug in the drive, it offers two modes: the first is Connect, which utilises the drive as a standard secure SSD, and the second is Read-Only mode. On the start screen, you also have access to settings that enable you to change passwords, set users, adjust password rules, and more, including the Random Key Layout. This changes the standard 123/456/789 layout to a random configuration (e.g. 246/351/978), so traditional ways of detecting which keys are pressed regularly are not possible with this unit.

Another big feature is that it is OS-independent, so no additional software is required. It is simply plug and play, with all authentication and access held within the device itself. While it draws power from the host machine, all computing and security functions are handled by the keypad and the drive.

The first thing you notice about the Kingston IronKey Vault Privacy AES is that it is slightly larger than your average portable SSD and features a touchscreen keypad on the front. This is part of the access process: to gain entry, you must type in the correct password.

While there are other drives with similar designs, Kingston has pushed security further, not just with numeric passcodes but also the option for alphabetical ones, allowing longer and more secure passwords.

Getting started is easy: when you plug the drive in, it isn’t recognised by the computer at all. Instead, the screen prompts you to run through the setup process. This enables you to create a passcode or password depending on the level of security you want, and once that’s done, you can use it as a standard portable SSD or in Read-Only mode.

On first login, you are asked to register further information, so the drive is essentially tied to you. You can then use your passcode to get in, update settings, and set up additional users. For example, you can provide another user with a passcode that allows access in Read-Only mode only.

You can also adjust brute force protection so that if too many failed attempts are made, the drive will erase itself completely.

All these options are controlled directly on the drive via the touchscreen before you select the access mode. It takes a few uses to get familiar with authorising the drive and selecting the mode, but it quickly becomes straightforward.

Although this is an SSD, and you’d normally expect very high speeds, the encryption slows things down. Testing generated average transfer speeds of around 230 MB/s, with read speeds of 235 MB/s and write speeds of 231 MB/s. These are evenly matched but much slower than most modern portable SSDs, where speeds of closer to 1,000 MB/s are common.

However, speed is not the purpose of this drive. With 3.84 TB of storage, it gives plenty of secure space for your files.

Using the drive is simple: as long as you remember your PIN or password, it’s easy to operate. Transfer speeds are fine for archiving imaging and photography files, even if not suited for active workflows.

When attempting to use software to access password-protected files, the drive wasn’t recognised at all until unlocked. Without the password, the drive isn’t mounted, even if you try through terminal, there is simply no connection other than power. Unlike software-encrypted drives, which still show up in the drive manager, here, nothing appears until authentication.

The only way to reach the storage would be to physically break open the casing, but the internal SSD is encased and the brute force protection would destroy the contents. From a security perspective, this makes it about as secure as you can get.

At the end of testing, I was impressed with the Kingston IronKey Vault Privacy AES. First and foremost, it’s solidly built, and if I needed to send sensitive files such as NDA-protected images or videos to a client, this drive would be an excellent option. Even if the drive fell into a competitor’s hands, there is virtually no way they could access the contents.

When it came to performance, once I entered the correct code, it was easy to use as a portable SSD to copy files. Using the touchscreen, I was also able to adjust settings and configure security features such as the number of failed password attempts before data erasure, and the types of user access.

As a secure drive, this portable SSD is a great option. My only reservation is the relatively slow transfer speeds for an SSD, but this is offset by the high level of security. It is best considered an archival drive rather than one for daily workflows, but in that role, it is excellent.

For my own use, I would keep financial records and personal details on it, essentially using it as a digital vault. I also like that it uses a USB-C port, which should keep it compatible for years to come.

If you’re in the market for a very secure portable SSD, the Kingston IronKey Vault Privacy AES is a great option. The only drawback is the higher price, but you are paying for security beyond anything available with software-based solutions.