Rare Ideas Carbide User manual

PortableApps.com Carbide Drive User Guide
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User Guide

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© 2013 Rare Ideas, LLC, © 2011 iStorage Limited. All rights reserved.
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
All other trademarks and copyrights referred to are the property of their
respective owners.
Distribution of substantively modified versions of this document is prohibited
without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.
Distribution of the work or derivative work in any standard (paper) book form for
commercial purposes is prohibited unless prior permission is obtained from the
copyright holder.
DOCUMENTATION IS PROVIDED AS IS AND ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED CONDITIONS,
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF
MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT,
ARE DISCLAIMED, EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT THAT SUCH DISCLAIMERS ARE HELD TO BE
LEGALLY INVALID
Neither PortableApps.com/Rare Ideas, LLC nor iStorage shall not be liable by virtue
of this warranty, or otherwise, for any incidental, special or consequential damage
including any loss of data resulting from use or operation of the product, whether
or not iStorage or PortableApps.com were apprised of the possibility of such damages.
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Table of Contents
4
4
5
5
6
6
6
8
8
9
Introduction
LED Indicators
How to change User PIN
How to create a new User Pin
How to unlock drive with User PIN
How to lock the Carbide
How to create an Admin PIN
How to unlock with Admin PIN
How to change Admin PIN
How to reset drive
Frequently asked questions 10
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Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the PortableApps.com Carbide, a PIN activated, hardware encrypted USB flash drive.
The Carbide uses military grade AES 256-bit hardware encryption, which encrypts all data stored on
the drive in real-time. The Carbide requires no software and is OS and host independent. The Carbide
incorporates a rechargeable battery allowing the customer to enter a 7-15 digit PIN
(Personal Identification Number) onto the on-board keypad before connecting the drive to the USB port.
Should the drive be lost or stolen, the user can rest assured that all data held on the Carbide is safe and
cannot be accessed by any unauthorised person.
The Carbide can be created with both User and Admin PINs, making it perfect for corporate and
government deployment.
As the Carbide is unlocked with the on-board keypad and not with the keyboard, it is not
vulnerable to software/hardware based key-loggers or brute force attacks.
The Carbide is shipped with a default User PIN of 1-1-2-2-3-3-4-4 and
although it can be used straight out of the box with the default PIN, for security
reasons, we highly recommend that a new User PIN be created immediately by
following instructions under heading 2 “How to change User PIN”.
1. LED indicators
LED (LAMP) ACTIVITY ACTION BEING PERFORMED
All LEDs are off drive is locked and secure – all data is encrypted
Green blink drive is unlocked and ready for use
Green solid drive connected to powered USB port
Blue solid drive connected to host computer and is idle
Blue blink data exchange with host computer
Red LED blink drive is locked and secure – all data is encrypted
Red constantly on No User PIN created
Red and Green LEDs blink together accepting User PIN input
Red and Green LEDs double blink accepting Admin PIN input
Red and Green LEDs constantly lit drive is accepting new PIN
Red and Green LEDs blink alternately Error
Note: Unless otherwise noted, all INSTRUCTION steps are performed when Carbide is not
connected to a computer.
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2. How to change User PIN
If you forget your User PIN and no Admin PIN exists, or you forget both PINs, all data will be inaccessible.
PIN requirements:
Must be between 7-15 digits in length
Must not contain repeating numbers/letters, e.g., (3-3-3-3-3-3-3)
Must not contain sequential numbers/letters, e.g., (1-2-3-4-5-6-7), (7-8-9-0-1-2-3-4-5-6),
(7-6-5-4-3-2-1)
INSTRUCTION LED ACTIVITY
1. Press button Red and Green LEDs blink together
2. Enter user PIN to unlock drive and press Green blink
3. Press and hold button for 3 seconds Red and Green will illuminate together
4. Enter new User PIN Red and Green illuminated
5. Press button Red and Green blink in unison
6. Re-enter new User PIN Red and Green blink in unison
7. Press button Green blink if 1st and 2nd entries match
Red and Green blink alternately if PIN entry error
If Red and Green LEDs blink alternately, restart from
step 3
Note: If a mistake was made while defining a new PIN or the procedure was not completed, the drive
will retain the old PIN.
3. How to create a new User PIN
A new encryption key is automatically created under the following circumstances:
After hacking detection has been triggered by 10 successive failed attempts to unlock.
Drive has been manually reset (see heading 9).
When either of the above two scenarios occur, it will be necessary to set a new User PIN by
following the instructions below.
User PIN requirements:
Must be between 7-15 digits in length
Must not contain repeating numbers/letters, e.g., (3-3-3-3-3-3-3)
Must not contain sequential numbers/letters, e.g., (1-2-3-4-5-6-7), (7-8-9-0-1-2-3-4-5-6),
(7-6-5-4-3-2-1)
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INSTRUCTION LED ACTIVITY
1. Press and hold button for 3 seconds Red and Green will illuminate
2. Enter a new User PIN Red and Green illuminated
3. Press button Red and Green blink in unison
4. Re-enter new User PIN Red and Green blink in unison
5. Press button Green blink if 1st and 2nd entries match
Red and Green blink alternately if PIN entry error
If Red and Green LEDs blink alternately, restart from
step 1
Note: A user PIN can only be defined when the red LED is lit in a constant state or changed when
the green LED is blinking (unlocked). Neither User nor Admin PINs can be created while drive is
connected to a host computer.
4. How to unlock drive with User PIN
Once the User PIN is created, all data stored on the Carbide is encrypted, in hardware, to the AES
256-bit CBC specification. In order to access the data stored on the drive, you must first unlock the drive
with your User PIN.
INSTRUCTION LED ACTIVITY
1. Press the button Red and Green will blink together
2. Enter the User PIN Red and Green will continue to blink together
3. Press button Green will blink if user entered correct PIN
Red will blink if incorrect PIN was entered
If Red and Green LEDs blink alternately, restart from
Step 1
4. Insert the Carbide into a USB port Green LED will illuminate in constant state
Blue will illuminate and flicker
Note: Once unlocked, the Green LED will blink for 30 seconds, within which time the drive needs to be
connected to the USB port. If no connection is detected within 30 seconds, the drive will lock and you
will need to start the process of unlocking again.
5. How to lock the Carbide
The PortableApps.com Carbide automatically locks when unplugged from the host computer or power to the
USB port is turned off. Data is kept locked using AES 256-bit CBC encryption.
6. How to create an Admin PIN
An Admin PIN is a useful feature for corporate deployment, for example:
Recovering data from a drive and configuring a new User PIN in the event an employee has
forgotten their PIN
Retrieving data from a drive if an employee leaves the company
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Entering the Admin PIN to access a locked drive will clear the User PIN. If a user forgets
their PIN, access to their drive is regained by defining a new user PIN. For security
reasons, we highly recommend that a new User PIN be created immediately once the
drive has been unlocked using the Admin PIN.
Admin PIN requirements:
Must be between 7-15 digits in length
Must not contain repeating numbers/letters, e.g., (3-3-3-3-3-3-3)
Must not contain sequential numbers/letters, e.g., (1-2-3-4-5-6-7), (7-8-9-0-1-2-3-4-5-6),
(7-6-5-4-3-2-1)
If the drive has been reset or hacking detection has been triggered (i.e., no User or Admin PIN exist), the
instructions below can be followed. If a User PIN already exists, the Carbide must be unlocked first with the
user PIN by following instructions under heading 4, before an Admin PIN can be created by following
instructions below.
INSTRUCTION LED ACTIVITY
1. Press the button twice holding
for 3 seconds on the 2nd press Red and Green will blink once then remain lit
2. Enter a new Admin PIN Red and Green illuminated
3. Press button Red and Green double blink
4. Re-enter new Admin PIN Red and Green continue to double blink
5. Press button Green double blink if 1st and 2nd entries match
Red and Green blink alternately if PIN entry error
If Red and Green LEDs blink alternately, restart from
step 1
Figure 1 shows the green blinking characteristics when the drive is opened in User mode versus Admin
mode.
Figure 1: User Mode single blink LED output compared to Admin Mode double blink
On
Off
Single blink
Double blink
On
On On On On
Off
Off Off
t
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Figure 2 shows the difference between pressing KEY button to set the User PIN vs setting the Admin PIN.
Figure 2: Key entry for User/Admin mode selection
7. How to unlock with ADMIN PIN
Entering the Admin PIN to unlock the drive will reset the User PIN. A new User PIN MUST
be created immediately once the drive has been unlocked using the Admin PIN.
INSTRUCTION LED ACTIVITY
1. Press the button twice in succession Red and Green will double blink together (figure 1, on page 7)
(similar to double-clicking a mouse)
2. Enter the Admin PIN Red and Green will continue to blink together
3. Press button Green will double blink if admin entered correct PIN
Red will blink if incorrect PIN was entered
If Red and Green LEDs blink alternately, restart from
step 1
4. Insert the Carbide into USB port Green LED will illuminate in constant state
within 30 seconds Blue will illuminate and flicker
Note: Green LED will blink for 30 seconds, within which time the drive needs to be connected to the USB
port, if no connection is detected within 30 seconds, the drive will lock and you will need to start the
process of unlocking again.
8. How to change ADMIN PIN
Changing the Admin PIN will reset the User PIN. A new User PIN MUST be created
immediately once the Admin PIN has been changed.
3 seconds
3 seconds
1/4 sec
User
Administrator
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PIN requirements:
Must be between 7-15 digits in length
Must not contain repeating numbers/letters, e.g., (3-3-3-3-3-3-3)
Must not contain sequential numbers/letters, e.g., (1-2-3-4-5-6-7), (7-8-9-0-1-2-3-4-5-6),
(7-6-5-4-3-2-1)
Once an Admin PIN has been created, the Carbide needs to be unlocked by the administrator in order
to change the Admin PIN. The Admin PIN cannot be changed from user mode.
INSTRUCTION LED ACTIVITY
1. Press the button twice in succession Red and Green will double blink together (figure 2, on
(similar to double-clicking a mouse) page 8)
2. Enter Admin PIN Red and Green illuminated
3. Press button Green will double blink if admin entered correct PIN
Red will blink if incorrect PIN was entered
4.Press the button twice holding
for 3 seconds on the 2nd press Red and Green will remain lit
5. Release button Red and Green will blink twice then remain lit
6. Enter desired Admin PIN Red and Green illuminated
7. Press button Red and Green double blink
8. Re-enter new Admin PIN Red and Green continue to double blink
9. Press button Green double blink if 1st and 2nd entries match
Red and Green blink alternately if PIN entry error
If Red and Green LEDs blink alternately, restart from
Step 4
9. How to Reset the Drive
In case both Admin and User PINs have been forgotten or if you would like to delete all data stored on the
drive and create new User and Admin PINs, follow the instructions below. The reset process will clear all PINs
and encryption keys. This means a new User PIN will have to be defined in order to re-enable the drive. Also,
since this will force the creation of a new encryption key, the drive will have to be reformatted.
Resetting the Carbide will make all data on the drive inaccessible forever.
INSTRUCTION LED ACTIVITY
1. Press the button twice with a two seconds
pause in between to wake the drive Red blink
2. Press and hold & ‘2’buttons together
for three seconds Red and Green will illuminate together
3. Release buttons Red and Green blink in unison
4. Enter 9-9-9 Red and Green blink in unison
5. Press button Both LEDs will turn off
6. Press button again Red lit in constant state
(Indicates User PIN must be set prior to use, see 3. How
to create a new User PIN)
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. How to unlock drive if battery is dead
Your PortableApps.com Carbide is supplied with a built-in rechargeable battery. If the battery is fully
discharged, you may still continue to use the product by following the instructions below:
a) Connect the Carbide to a USB port on any computer
b) While the Carbide is connected to the computer, enter the User or Admin PIN to unlock the
drive
c) Whilst connected to the USB port, the internal battery will automatically charge. We
recommend you keep the drive connected for 1 hour to fully charge the battery.
2. Forgotten your PIN
If you forget the User and Admin PINs, there is absolutely no way of gaining access to the data stored
on the drive, there are no backdoors into the drive. You may continue to re-use the PortableApps.com
Carbide by resetting it, however by doing so all data stored on the drive will be inaccessible.
To reset the Carbide flash drive, follow instructions under heading 9. Once that is done, the
following occurs:
A new encryption key is created
The User and Admin PINs are deleted
All existing data is no longer accessible
A new User PIN must be set
Drive must be reformatted
3. Brute Force Hack Defence Mechanism
After 10 consecutive incorrect PIN attempts, the following occurs:
A new encryption key is created
The User and Admin PINs are deleted
All existing data is no longer accessible
A new User PIN must be set
Drive must be reformatted
The PortableApps.com Carbide, unlike other similar drives, is preloaded with an unlimited number of
randomly generated encryption keys. Each time hacking is detected (i.e., the wrong PIN is entered
a total of 10 consecutive times), the current encryption key is deleted causing the unit to randomly
generate a new encryption key. The new 256-bit encryption key is created
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once a User PIN is successfully set. Because of this, the PortableAppps.com Carbide will have to be
formatted after each time the defence mechanism is triggered.
PortableApps.com Carbide Drive User Guide