RedKey USB Computer Data Erasing Device

Thank you so much guys for your kind words and thanks for backing this project! Hi Brenton - Yes. It sounds like you would need to use the advanced user menu. From there you can access the DOD, Military, Security services spec. algorithms, or create your own custom routine. However, the default routine (which kicks in Automatically after 60 seconds on the main menu) is an "all Zero" single pass flush.

Funded! Is this DoD spec file shredding? I'm Curious

Congrats, Gareth!! 😊

100% funded! Congratulations!!!

Hi Gareth,
Just want to say that i was following your project here on Kickstarter without placing a pledge until today. Your informations and answers to the persons which had any questions gave me some kind of convenience to ensure that you will deliver a good product!
Hope this will be funded!

Thank you for all that informations. It sounds like a very good deal. I’m really looking forward to this project.

Hi all, Quick update as we reach the last few days of the campaign - things are looking good and the campaign is on track to likely surpass it's funding goal by a little maybe. I've had a few questions that probably are not really FAQ's as such so I just wanted to post them on here for information. Regarding the data wipe routine - the default method (which will occur automatically after 60 seconds) is called an Data flush - this effectively overwrites the hard drive with Binary Data and is highly secure. There will be additional wipe options available in the advanced menu for those that may need them, however the additional options are effectively overkill, yet still provided to satisfy some enterprise security requirements. Ordinarily, there will be no need to enter the advanced menu. Regarding the likely retail price of the Redkey post kickstarter IE after August 2018, this is likely to be around quadruple the Kickstarter price IE around £90-£100 per unit. The Kickstarter pledge price on here is effectively the cost of production known as the keystone price. There is no profit made in this project - it's sole purpose is to develop / create the product - or Kickstart it so to speak. If the product is ever released to market, it cost will likely be doubled at wholesale, then doubled again by retail. Also at this point it will not include the Bluekey blank memory stick nor free lifetime software updates - so this really is the only opportunity to grab the product at a special price. Hope this helps and if you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me or post a comment. Kind regards, Gareth Owen
Project Creator

Hi Stephen, This product is designed to wipe all data and sanitize a computer. There will be full support for what to do prior and after the Redkey is used, there is even a 16gb memory stick included to facilitate a reinstall of os if required. There is no other product on the market that provides this level of support.

So this device wipes all data including OS? If so make sure you place a disclaimer like do not use unless you have the OS software to reinstall.

Hi Chua,
It can not be used with phones. It will delete all data on any drive it detects. The product will have a warranty when released to market. The app is contained on the device itself so just insert to use. Hope this helps!

one more thing, can it be use with phone too?

Hello,
Sorry if these question was being answered.
1. Which drive will it delete? Am i able to select it or everything?
2. If everything, computer comes in a standard few application.. will those be deleted too?
3. Will there be any warranty for this?
4. Do we have to install any app to work along with this or just insert? Not really good with computer, just some of the things i need to know

Hi Ken, thanks for the feedback! Yes you can use it on multiple devices. It never expires. You can use it on as many PC’s as you wish, one after the other.

Hi Gareth, great product idea. Can you use the same key to delete data permanently on multiple devices or is this for single use only? Apologies in advance if this question has been answered. Thank you. Ken

Quick update - I've posted some cool pictures in the Project Gallery just now showing the actual hardware that will be contained within the REDKEY. There's also a few pictures showing the difference between laser etching and printing methods for the logo's and wording that will be on the outside of the REDKEY. I'm leaning towards the Printing method as it looks good where as the laser etching seems slightly pixelated. Let me know your thoughts!

Quick update - I received a sample of the actual USB hardware today from the electronics manufacturer. I’m going to take some high res pictures and post them on here shortly - probably they will show up in the gallery. Ps thanks to an influx of pledges over the weekend the funding level has now reached 65%. Thank you for all your support!

Hi Didier, I'm glad to have you on-board. Good question - and this is something that's been given some thought. Usually, in an work or educational environment - a computers hardware is locked down by the institutions IT policy. This would prevent anyone (other than a system administrator) being able to actually run the device. A home user could set their computer up in the same way, to prevent the device being used. I will include instructions on how to do this both in the product guide that will be included with the product, and also on-line. The other main deterrence is that to deliberately sabotage a computer would potentially be a crime and so would have consequences. Just to clarify - the REDKEY can only delete the data on a device it is directly attached to. Hope this helps! Gareth Owen

Hi Gareth,
Really love your project! I do have a question though, is there a way to protect your PC against a product like this? For instance, what if someone would buy your product and uses this to erase all data in an office or school environment from a malicious perspective? Seeing as all you require is the key and it will inject the target with the program in seconds.

Hi all,
Quick update - SSD drives will be supported by REDKEY.

Hi all,
Quick update - I've just added subtitles in most major languages to the Explainer Video. Also this will help with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Also am pleased to be making some progress with packaging sourcing / design.

Hi Andrea, thanks for backing this project! The red colour is intrinsic in the name but I guess I could look in to it for you ;)

Is the red colour the only option? I mean is not an important things, is just that i would like some sort of black key with yellow warning text and symbol

Hi Raf,

Thanks for backing with £1 though - every little helps. REDKEY is not re-inventing the wheel here. I'm taking an existing concept, using creativity and improving upon it several fold. Can't say much fairer than that. If this process did not occur in everyday life, how would humanity progress? Kickstarter wouldn't exist if it were not for creativity. Look at the positive benefits maybe? The problems you imagine have been well considered already. This product is designed to circumvent them. It will be easy to use & will provide full support. All other products for
personal users, free or not - provide no support and this has left consumers vulnerable for too long. This product addresses that issue no matter what.

While I do agree with you on the fact that most users will struggle with creating a bootable USB stick, burning a CD/DVD doesn't pose such issue. Also, computer manufactures (i.e. Dell) already include secure erase features in their BIOS nowadays. People who are already aware of the fact that their data doesn't magically vanish from the disk if they merely format it, have already done some basic research and are aware of the above. I have to disagree on the software part as well - it is a solved problem and software already exists. To sum it up: those in the know, are already aware of alternatives and most likely don't need this product; those who *do* need the product, still lack the basics, require educating and even booting their computer from a USB disk, will be something they will have a problem with. I'm not sure which one of those groups you are aiming your product at, to be honest. Either way, I won't be backing your campaign I'm afraid.

dear gareth, thanks for the fast reply, very nice!! i can really use this tool for work!!! greetings donny

Hi Raf, Indeed there are free alternatives, but as you can probably appreciate – actually using them is simply beyond the expertise of maybe 99% of people. Putting them on a Bootable USB is again probably beyond the expertise of another 50% of that 99% and, before you know it - maybe only one in several hundred people can use them. That simply writes off most of the population and that’s why such programs only really exist within the domain of experts.

The fact is, using the traditional programs may seem straight forwards to the likes of you and I, but to most people it is simply beyond their expertise. REDKEY will require no technical wizardry to use, and this fact makes the secure low level format process accessible to a much wider audience than any other alternative both free or not. I've researched this deeply of course, in fact it is one of the things that motivated me to create the REDKEY in the first place. One of my objectives for this project in mind personally is simply that my Dad should be able to use it proficiently. He’s 75 and struggles with computers. If he could use the REDKEY then anyone can. Wouldn’t it be good if there were others like him who could benefit from this technology? Others like him who are currently unaware of the risks of not using it? As you can probably appreciate, as it stands – maybe 99% of people probably do not even perform a low level format on their computer in the first-place prior to disowning it - let alone a multiple pass shred with some random PRNG stream. Isn’t that worrying? Therefore the security level of this product is designed to be a reasonable balance between security and convenience. IE the all Zero Data flush will not take days to complete - unlike some of the higher and excessive settings on the free alternatives, and will not require any settings to be adjusted – which would be too technical for most users. Bringing a product to market like this of course incurs costs. The software alone reflects a great portion of the costs and this reflects the time and expertise of the software designers to develop the software. It takes time and they must be paid. It also reflects the Manufacturing costs, distribution costs and all these venture costs add up. The price of the REDKEY hence reflects these costs divided by the minimal amount of users required to break even. The value of the price is therefore subjective – to most people it represents great value. It is fit for purpose, does the job and you don’t need to be a computer expert to use it. There’s great value in that. No one is going to improve upon the current market without some form of investment and that’s what makes the REDKEY an ideal project for kickstarter. It’s not just about making a pledge and obtaining one of the first of a product ever made, it’s also effectively about being an investor, being able to see a product on the shelves in future and being able to say “I was a part of that. I made that happen”. Are you in?

Hi Gareth, Free alternatives, i.e. DBAN (https://dban.org/), exist and offering the same, and many more, secure wipe options. £23 for what's essentially a customised bootable Linux on a USB stick is a bit steep. Why would I go for it?

Hi Donny, The time to wipe varies depending on the size of the drive inside the computer. Normally 1-3 hrs should be allowed. For example - a 500GB drive will take about twice as long as a 250GB drive. If the device is removed after the program has started wiping - it will not affect anything because the REDKEY only needs to be plugged in until the wipe process begins. That's for about the first couple of minutes or so. After this, it can be removed to use on another computer, put away, or just left in until the end.

hello, do you know how long the erasing will take? and if the usb is ejected during erasing,will the process halt? greetings,
donny

Hi Jack,
This product is specifically designed to be easy to use - it works automatically so requires minimal technical knowledge. It will also include easy to follow instructions. It will have no shelf life, so yes you can use it as many times as you like on as many different computers as you like.

Gday Gareth. I’m sort of the opposite to Jason in as much as I no nothing more than how to turn a PC on & off & how to send an email etc I’m only 35 I’m just quiet incompetent. Will I be able to use this & can I use it more than once or does it have a shelf life?
Cheers.
Jack.

Nice project! Thanks for reducing shipping costs!

Hi, Jason, The exact command used is called a "scrub" command. The exact algorithm is a relatively fast "All Zero Binary" type - which makes data recovery virtually impossible. It seems we both understand that there are various other algorithms available for low level format such as using PRNG streams, Gutman Wipes and by performing multiple passes of the same work etc. However those methods are on a whole part unnecessary and superfluous for most domestic and business purposes and can increase the timescale by up to 100 fold to complete the same task. In other words - the other methods are overkill for most users. Hence this product uses the all zero binary type algorithm and it is important as you have highlighted to be aware that this product sits at that level. I'm also going to have data recovery experts verify the process prior to going to market - the results of which will be published.

Hi I have a couple of questions. What kind of algorithm do you use when deleting the hard disk? Does it wipe numerous times for secure deletion or just the once? Cheers Jase

I acknowledge the comments about the high postage costs. I agree with you and thank you for bringing this to my attention - I had over estimated the postage values. I have discovered the actual values and am currently working with KICKSTARTER to amend the shipping costs for each reward category. This action will therefore reduce the shipping cost for the backers who have already made a pledge. Hopefully this will also make the project more appealing to potential backers too as mentioned in the comments. I thank you again for the community advice - it has helped. The updated shipping costs are to be follows :- United Kingdom £2.08
European Union £7.75
Rest Of World £8.55
Each service is Tracked and Signed for type service. Thank you, and further updates will follow as this develops. Gareth Owen 23/03/18 07:41 GMT

SK is spot on. I was excited when I saw this, it's a simple solution that would be wonderful to purchase however, the shipping is simply too high.
Perhaps there is an error? I order from all over the world frequently and never see shipping costs like that, especially for a small item. I would love to back this project if that could be remedied!
Thank you!

International shipping costs are high. The shipping cost needs to be re-considered. You'll lose a lot of potential backers this way. I'm sure you would get more backers if the shipping was more reasonable.