Introduction - Kingston Technology IRONKEY D500S User Manual

Introduction

The Kingston IronKey D500S is a military-grade security USB drive that builds on the features which made IronKey
well-respected to safeguard sensitive information. It is FIPS 140-3 Level 3 (pending) certified which includes new
security enhancements from NIST requiring secure processor upgrades for added security. Encryption and decryption
is done on the D500S, with no trace left on the host system – making it immune to password sniffers in memory.
Along with hardware-based XTS-AES 256-bit encryption, it also features a rugged zinc casing that is waterproof*,
dustproof*, crush-resistant and sealed with epoxy to protect internal components from penetration attacks.
D500S supports Multi-Password (Admin, User, One-Time Recovery and Crypto-Erase) options with traditional Complex
or Passphrase modes**. The Multi-Password option enhances the ability to recover access to the data if one of the
passwords is forgotten. In addition to supporting traditional Complex passwords, the Passphrase mode allows for a
numeric PIN, sentence, list of words, or even lyrics from 10 to 128 characters long. Admin can enable a User, create
custom sized dual data partitions separating Admin/User login files, enable a One-Time Recovery password, Crypto-
Erase password, and reset the User password to restore data access.
To aid in password entry, the "eye"
leading to failed login attempts. For added peace of mind, D500S uses a digitally-signed firmware making it immune to
BadUSB malware, and Brute Force password attack protection to prevent password guessing. Brute Force attack
protection locks out User or One-Time Recovery passwords upon 10 invalid passwords entered in a row, and crypto-
erases the drive if the Admin password is entered incorrectly 10 times in a row.
To protect against potential malware on untrusted systems, both Admin and User can set Read-Only mode to write-
protect the drive; additionally, the built-in virtual keyboard shields passwords from keyloggers or screenloggers***.
Small and medium businesses can use the Admin role to locally manage their drives, e.g. use Admin to configure or
reset employee User or One-Time Recovery passwords, recover data access on locked drives, and comply with laws and
regulations when forensics are required.
D500S offers many customization options and is TAA/CMMC compliant and assembled in the USA.
D500S is backed by a limited 5-year warranty with free Kingston technical support.
* Please refer to datasheet's specification. Product must be clean and dry before use.
** Passphrase mode not supported on Linux systems.
*** Virtual Keyboard: Only supports US English on supported Microsoft Windows and macOS systems.
Figure 1: IronKey D500S
symbol can be enabled to reveal the typed-in password, reducing typos
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