Self-destructing SSD seems like a horrible idea waiting to happen

primesuspect

Self-destructing SSD seems like a horrible idea waiting to happen

CrazyJoe

Security!! With two exclamation marks!!

ardichoke

There are plenty of reasons to have this... most of them involve storing sensitive data and having to make absolutely sure it's erased before you decommission a drive. You'd be glad if a company that stores your credit card info were to use these when they get rid of drives.

CrazyJoe

The smoke means it must be really hot!!

GnomeQueen

Considering how fragile digital information is to begin with, I can't sign off on this. Heh.

RootWyrm

Well, this is great for it's intended application - defense systems. (AKA "military hardware in combat zones and hostile countries.")

Right until somebody says "hey, go ahead and wipe that for reinstall" and they press the wrong button 7,500km from the nearest Microcenter.

erichblas2005

This is something anyone with general electronic knowledge can do. All it is a short burst of 12 volt.
But what if an idiot accidentally hits the red button.

one234h

At the minimum, there should be a cover over the red button which the user needs to flip in order to press.

Yeah, if you're using this, you're either fighting bad guys, or they're coming for you.

CrazyJoe

When she backed away from the drive I was expecting more fireworks. I am dissappointed.

Tushon

I'm assuming this would be integrated into a computer case with a safety cover of some sort.

ardichoke

I'm assuming the final model won't have the buttons permanently attached... it will probably be something you have to hook up yourself either when you're building it (if you want it there and waiting) or when you want to wipe/destroy the drive.

NiGHTS

Out of curiosity, does something like this exist for HDDs?

AlexDeGruven

As long as the green button and red button use different connectors. Would be too easy to swap them accidentally and suddenly the green button lets out all the smoke.

QCH

And that PC is VERY close to falling off the desk. I was hoping for some flash or magnesium flare...

ardichoke

Out of curiosity, does something like this exist for HDDs?

Sure, it's called a drill press... or thermite. The way this works is by overvolting the individual chips causing them to physically burn out. Overvolting a standard HDD would probably just fry the circuitry and/or motor leaving the data intact.

NiGHTS

I understand that much, but there's currently no HDD that will self-destroy the platters?

For as much grief as everyone's giving it, I see a smart product exploiting a niche market.

ardichoke

I've never seen a self-destroying HDD. Thus why people have done things like building thermite packed cases... well, also it's just cool to see a computer go up in a thermite fire.

I'm not giving it any grief. I think it's a neat idea albeit for a very niche market.

Tushon

I understand that much, but there's currently no HDD that will self-destroy the platters?

For as much grief as everyone's giving it, I see a smart product exploiting a niche market.

http://www.deadondemand.com/products/enhancedhdd/ light on details though. I agree that it is a niche product for niche market and kinda chuckled at the military or CP generalization, since I see that being a flag for the CP programs now.

Soda

To be fair, there are a few times where I eventually just am so fed up with a computer part that when I replace it, it's worth more to my mental sanity to destroy it than it is to sell it. So...I can't knock the big red "die bitch" button. Maybe it should just have a cover or confirmation.

AlexDeGruven

For a spinning disk, you'd have to find some way to crash the heads while maintaining motion on the platter. IIRC, this would be almost impossible to do intentionally, as a head crash is generally part of another physical failure, and simple "remove from case and smash with something heavy" operations tend to be much quicker and more effective.

NiGHTS

... the military or CP generalization, since I see that being a flag for the CP programs now.

Yeah, for clarity's sake I meant the military market and not the CP one. It's an interesting product.

Cliff_Forster

Impractical, yet kinda cool. I'm not sure what to make of it?

Winfrey

They need retinal scans and voice activation and dual switches requiring unique keys and a randomized encrypted key only accessible from a satellite orbiting the moon.

Otherwise some random broom handle might randomly fall on the doomsday switch and then all your data is BOOOOMMMMMM!

midga

It'd be fairly trivial to replace the button with a keyed switch.

Siebje

Did anyone else notice how that PC is just waiting to fall off the table

Tim

They should have gotten who speaks proper English to make the video. It's great for destroying data but what if you press the red button and then think "OH WAIT THERE'S ONE MORE THING I NEED TO SAVE FROM THIS DRIVE!!!!! AAAAHHHHHHH!!!! ?

shwaip

They should have gotten who speaks proper English to make the video.

#irony

Canti

but what if you press the red button and then think "OH WAIT THERE'S ONE MORE THING I NEED TO SAVE FROM THIS DRIVE!!!!! AAAAHHHHHHH!!!! ?

It gets destroyed.

AlexDeGruven

No need to think about it. Pressing the red button is your final action with this drive.

Jokke

I wonder how many insurance claims and lawsuits would follow should this product become available to the common, less computer-savvy user.

midga

I wonder how many insurance claims and lawsuits would follow should this product become available to the common, less computer-savvy user.

I would hope they would make it obnoxiously clear that

IF (RED_BUTTON == 1) THEN
{
YourDataExists = 0;
ThisDriveIntact = 0;
PossibilityForRepairOrRecovery = 0;
}

Lawsuits might ensue, but there would be little ground for them to stand on. That is, of course, assuming there's no chance of the button accidentally pressing itself...