Safeguarding storage from unauthorised access

Imation has introduced Imation Lock & Key – a new solution that adds an additional layer of security to data storage environments and protects high-value data files from internal and external threats. Lock & Key provides advanced two-factor authentication for storage administrators, ensuring lock-down access to storage systems and allowing organizations to enhance their security strategies. Lock & Key solutions will be made generally available for purchase in June 2015 for use with Imation’s Nexsan Assureon™ secure archive solutions.

Lock & Key is a component of Imation’s Secure Data Movement Architecture (SDMA™). Through Lock & Key, organizations can enhance their security strategies by requiring a second factor of authentication for storage administrators to gain access to storage systems. No matter where they are, administrators will be able to access a secure management user interface for one or more of Imation’s Nexsan storage systems using their access credentials and a paired, encrypted and tamper-resistant IronKey™ secure storage flash drive. Lock & Key solutions are easily deployed in plug-and-play fashion, and can be centrally controlled and administered by anyone in an organization’s IT team who has the required access privileges.

“We recently introduced our SDMA architecture to provide organizations with the most comprehensive and innovative framework to safeguard and protect their most important information assets anywhere and anytime,” said Mike Stolz, vice president of marketing and technical support for Imation’s Nexsan solutions. “An important element of this framework is the ability to ensure secure access to storage systems and keep data from being stolen, destroyed or illegally accessed. Lock & Key delivers the solution to these problems by adding extra layers of security to block unauthorized access and tampering of storage systems and their digital content.”

Imation’s SDMA gives organizations a holistic approach to actively manage their high-value data files and protect them from tampering, destruction, loss or leakage through their entire lifecycle. SDMA empowers end users to manage their own policy for protecting their high-value data in addition to enabling organizational control and management policies. It also addresses the need to safeguard data files throughout the data lifecycle.

Lock & Key builds upon the core capabilities for SDMA and high-value data protection found within Imation’s Nexsan Assureon Secure Archive and IronKey Secure Storage solutions that are in use today. Assureon provides a comprehensive secure archive solution that protects and preserves high-value data, and IronKey mobile storage solutions enable users to securely access their workspaces and files remotely while adhering to corporate IT standards.

“Data is known to be quite vulnerable on users’ various end point devices and storage systems. It’s hard enough for IT to secure their own data centers, much less all of the places where users interact with their data,” said Marc Staimer, founder and president at Dragon Slayer Consulting. “Imation has innovated a way forward with Lock & Key and its Secure Data Movement Architecture – both of which have the potential to change the game in data storage and security in the coming months.”