Founded in 2007, DataLocker has built a strong reputation as a provider of secure storage devices used by two-thirds of the Fortune 100 companies.
Their devices range from flash drives to larger HDD and SSD-based devices, and all are protected using 256-bit AES encryption.
A common feature of encrypted storage devices is that they require local software installations to enable unlocking, a necessity that introduces an additional point of potential insecurity.
One approach to this issue involved using a Bluetooth-connected phone as the unlock interface, which introduced new security concerns.
The new DL4FE prevents Bluetooth phone and software installations by integrating an unlock interface directly into the device.
Was this the right direction to take, or is a touchscreen just an alternate issue?
Price and Availability
The DataLocker DL4FE is available in two varieties, SSD and HDD, with capacities of 500 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB for HDD and 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB, 7,6 TB and 15,3 TB for SSD.
We won't list all the prices, but to get an idea, the 1TB HDD model costs €361,39 (€429) and the 1TB SSD costs €527,17 (€679). And for those with unlimited pockets, the 15,3TB SSD option costs €4643,22 (€5399).
It is expensive compared to SecureData SecureDrive BT (also FIPS 140-2 Level 3 validated). It costs €190,21 for the 1TB HDD and €300,37 for the same size SSD, with its 16TB model costing €2,936.91.
Design and features
The size of the DL4FE reveals that inside is a 2,5-inch HDD or SSD, thickened by the addition of a 45 x 57mm touch screen on top.
The construction is a combination of aluminum and reinforced plastic, and the contents inside are no doubt still protected with resin or the like.
Our review unit was the 1TB SSD model, weighing 262g without any associated USB cable. Two USB cables are included with the reader for Type-A and Type-C connections, and the reader has a single Type-C port.
The box also contains a soft cover for the reader. It has a front pocket that's too small to even hold a cable, and the drive won't fit in the pocket with a cable attached.
No instructions are provided, although full documentation is available in PDF format on the DataLocker website.
When you turn on the player for the first time by connecting it to a computer, the login screen activates and asks for a password. Forgetting this password will make it impossible to access the content, so it is vital to create one that you will remember.
Once configured, a connection can be established and the drive can be formatted to whatever file system the user requires. The DL4FE works with Mac, PC, and Linux systems, among others, as it can format the drive.
The next time you connect the player, the password will unlock it on the computer or other devices it is connected to.
If that all sounds too simple for a secure encrypted drive, then you're right to a point, but as with all technology, the devil is in the details.
Used
Ignoring the fact that the creator of the soft carry bag never saw USB cables, the first problem most DL4FE owners will encounter is the touch screen.
Even in promotional images of DataLocker, it is shown to be used with fingers, which is unrealistic to many. Each top of the screen keyboard is a fraction of the thickness of a typical adult finger, and the only user who could easily use it would be one under the age of 10.
Maybe using it on your fingers is technically possible, but not with your reviewer's Bratwurst scale numbers, it's not.
A better solution is to use a soft tablet pointing device or, as we did, a propeller pen with a rubber eraser to make key selection easier.
Does using a stylus or something similar work so much better that it's obvious DataLocker didn't include one, or even house it in the case?
The interface can be configured in four languages, English, French, German and Spanish, and can also be configured for multiple users and have password complexity rules defined.
Achieving FIPS 140-2 Level 3 device certification requires achieving security, cryptography, and intrusion detection standards that should make the device nearly impenetrable.
Having passed this and other certifications, the DL4FE is considered highly secure and cannot be hacked through brute force password attacks or invasive techniques.
Oddly enough, it is possible, because the US military has FIPS 140 configured, to increase the password length to 64 characters.
Apart from someone specially trained to remember complex random sequences, such as the exact order of various decks of cards, it would be almost impossible to remember 64 random letters, numbers, and symbols in the correct order if they changed regularly.
DataLocker has implemented many special security features, such as SilentKill, a special password you give to those who torture you to make the drive inaccessible forever and guarantee that they will kill you later in frustration.
For those who pay more, DataLocker also offers a remote management console that can remotely destroy the contents of the drive, scan the drive for malware, geofence where the drive can be accessed, and stream all activity on the drive. .
For those who work with secure data, there is something for everyone in this solution.
Performance
References
Here's how the DataLocker DL4FE fared in our benchmark test suite:
CrystalDiskMark 8.0.4: 268,68 MB/s (read); 260,63MB/s (write)
ATTO: 255,49MB/s (read, 256MB); 248,54MB/s (write, 256MB)
AS SSD: 250,48 Mbps (Sequential Read); 241,97 Mbps (sequential write)
AJA: 250 Mbps (read); 243Mbps (write)
Considering that the test model was an SSD variant and not an HDD, transfer speeds were disappointing.
The drive topped well below 270 MB/s for reads and writes in our CrystalDiskMark tests and was even lower when challenged by AS SSD and ATTO.
It must be said that most disks that use hardware encryption suffer a performance penalty from these additional operations, but not to this extent.
Part of the problem here is that the USB interface used is only USB 3.2 Gen 1, previously known as USB 3.0. This has a maximum throughput of 5 Gbps, which when converted to megabytes per second is about 625 MB/s.
But what one can reasonably guess about the DL4FE based on the proposed SSD capacities is that the internal drive is a SATA type and not NVMe and thus its SATA interface limitations are closer to 550MB/s.
How it ended up at half that speed is a mystery, but the DL4FE is not your friend if you have a flight or train to catch and need to copy a large amount of data before you leave.
final verdict
The DL4FE's security credentials are difficult to breach, and the ability to operate without adding software to the host system is a significant advantage.
Some of the features, like the Silentkill password, seem intended to appeal to those who think it's intelligence stuff, but those are the features that secure drive makers are including these days.
Considering the price, and this is normal for any device described as "secure", the DL4FE should come with a bag that properly contains the two cables in addition to the storage device. DataLocker should also include a stylus, ideally on a lanyard so it won't get misplaced, or use a phone screen large enough to make it easy to select with your fingers.
By the standards of those who don't need secure storage, the DL4FE might seem slow and outrageously expensive. But it ticks all the boxes for those who control sensitive information.