Setting A Self-Destruct Pin; Performing A Complete Reset - Apricorn Aegis Fortress User Manual

Setting a Self-Destruct PIN

For certain users, it's important to have a "last-resort" level of security where sensitive data
falling into the wrong hands must be avoided. The Secure Key's Self-Destruct PIN defends
against physically compromising situations by erasing the key's contents, leaving it to look
as if it never had any data written to it. *USE WITH CAUTION* When this mode is activated
and the key is unlocked with the Self-Destruct PIN, it will effectively perform a crypto-erase
on the key, deleting all of its data. Additionally, the encryption key will be deleted and a new
encryption key will be created to take its place. When this Self-Destruct PIN is deployed,
the key will unlock and the GREEN LED will glow solidly as if the key is being normally
unlocked. The key, however, will need to be partitioned and formatted before it can be used
again. The previous Admin and User codes will be deleted in the crypto-erase and the Self-
Destruct PIN will then become the new Admin PIN to unlock the key.
The self-destruct PIN can be set by either the Admin or the User. If the Admin sets the self-
destruct PIN, only the Admin can disable or change the PIN. If the User sets the self-destruct
PIN, both the User and the Admin can change or overwrite the PIN.
Note: The Self-Destruct PIN must be different from the Admin PIN and User PIN.
1. By default, the Self-Destruct feature is disabled. To allow the Padlock 3.0 to be set with
a Self-Destruct PIN, Enter the Admin mode. (Hold
LED blinking, enter the Admin PIN and press the
steadily.
2. Press the 7 + 4 buttons together*. The
point, the Self Destruct PIN can now be set by the Admin while the drive is in the Admin
mode, or it can be set up at another time by the User (after the drive is unlocked with
the User PIN) with the following steps.
3. Press UNLOCK + 3 for five seconds. The
4. Enter the Self-Destruct PIN and press . The
then will return to RED and BLUE
5. Re-enter the Self-Destruct PIN and press . The
three seconds and then will return to either the Admin mode (indicated by the
LED glowing steadily) or the unlocked state if created by User.
*NOTE: To disable / discard a Self-Destruct PIN, Press the 7 + 4 buttons together for
a second or two; successful disablement / removal will be indicated by three
blinks. To re-enable the Self-Destruct PIN mode, press the 7 + 4 buttons again and
three GREEN LED blinks will indicate that it's ready to accept a new Self-Destruct PIN.
Repeat steps 3 through 5.
+ 0 for five seconds – with
button.) The BLUE LED will glow
GREEN LED will blink three times and at this
RED and BLUE LEDs will blink alternately.
GREEN LED will blink three times and
LEDs blinking alternately.
GREEN LED will glow steadily for

Performing a Complete Reset

NOTE: A complete reset will erase encryption keys and PINs and leave the Aegis Fortress
in an unformatted condition.
There may be circumstances (forgotten PIN, redeployment, return to factory default
settings) when you need to completely reset the drive. The complete reset feature will
perform a crypto-erase on the drive, generate a new encryption key, delete all users, and
return all of the settings to factory default.
To perform a complete reset of the drive, perform the following:
1. While powering up, press and hold
concludes (when only the
2. Within five seconds of releasing the
ten seconds. The
GREEN
3. The
GREEN
and BLUE
4. A new Admin PIN will need to be entered and the drive will need to be reformatted.
RED
Initializing and formatting the Aegis Fortress
after a complete reset
A complete reset of the Aegis Fortress will erase all information and partition settings. You
will need to initialize and format the Aegis Fortress.
To initialize your Aegis Fortress, do the following:
1. After a complete reset, press
The BLUE
2. Enter the new Admin PIN and press the
will quickly blink three times, then return to the
GREEN
BLUE
3. Re-enter the Admin PIN and press the
solid for two seconds.
4. The BLUE
RED which will return the drive to its standby state.)
LED
5. The Admin PIN is now set and will allow access to the drive or the Admin features.
6. To UNLOCK the drive, enter the new Admin PIN and press .
7. Windows 7 and earlier: Right-click My Computer, and then click Manage from the
Windows desktop.
Windows 8, 8.1, or 10: Right-click left corner of desktop and select Disk
Management.
8. In the Computer Manage window, click Disk Management. In the Disk
Management window, the Aegis Padlock 3 is recognized as an unknown device that
is uninitialized and unallocated.
9. Perform the following to make the drive recognizable as a basic drive.
• If the Initialize and Convert Disk Wizard window opens, click
the disk manually using the following steps:
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and release it once the power-up self-test
RED LED glows steadily.)
button, press and hold
RED and BLUE LEDs will blink alternately.
RED
and LEDs will glow steadily for several seconds, followed by the
LED glowing steadily for several seconds, followed finally by the
LEDs glowing steadily which indicates that the reset is complete.
+ 9.
LED will glow steadily and the GREEN
button. If accepted, the
LED blinking.
button. If accepted, the
LED will glow steadily for 30 seconds (or until the
a. Right-click Unknown Disk and then select Initialize Disk.
b. In the Initialize Disk window, click OK.
+ + 2 together for
GREEN
LED will be blinking.
GREEN LED
BLUE LED glowing steadily and the
GREEN LED will be
button is pressed,
and initialize
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