(Credit: TeamGroup)
A new external SSD will permanently wipe all of its data if you activate a self-destruct button.
Taiwan's TeamGroup calls its product "the world’s first external SSD with built-in data destruction functionality [for] highly sensitive information" in the event it falls into the wrong hands.
Of course, a user could destroy an SSD by physically crushing it. But the TeamGroup version offers a more efficient way to permanently wipe the data. It will physically destroy the NAND flash memory through a patented process involving high voltage to create an electrical surge.
(Credit: TeamGroup)On the downside, it appears that the external SSD will only complete the data wiping when it's connected to a PC, allowing it to receive the electrical surge.
The company has decided to call the product the Expert P35S Destroyed External SSD, a rather ominous name. To avoid accidentally triggering a data wipe, it features a "two-stage safety push-button design" using a click-and-slide process.
"Combined with a red visual warning and a dual-damping structural mechanism, it effectively prevents accidental activation and ensures operational safety," the memory vendor added.
(Credit: TeamGroup)We got a first look at the SSD at Computex in May, and TeamGroup is now preparing to release it, though it hasn't revealed a solid launch date or price. We reached out to TeamGroup and will update the story if we hear back. For now, the company’s website says the external SSD will be sold in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB configurations.
The product weighs about 1.5 ounces and offers USB 3.2 Gen 2 for transfer speeds of up to 1,000/1,000 MB/s.
TeamGroup offers an internal M.2 SSD for PC motherboards that features a similar “one-click” self-destruct mechanism. The P250Q Self-Destruct SSD is designed for defense and industrial customers who require an added layer of security. It also features a "high voltage breakdown technology to physically destroy NAND Flash, ensuring data is irrecoverable."