Apricorn submits updated USB security key for FIPS 140-3
Wed, 13th May 2026 (Today)
Apricorn has updated its Aegis Secure Key 3.0 USB security device and submitted it for FIPS 140-3 Level 3 validation.
The revised device uses a mini solid-state drive architecture in a USB flash key form factor, increasing maximum capacity to 2TB. It also offers read speeds of up to 210 MB/s and write speeds of up to 220 MB/s.
Apricorn said the product was engineered to meet, and in some areas exceed, FIPS 140-3 Level 3 requirements before submission to the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Cryptographic Module Validation Program. The standard is used by government bodies, defence contractors and regulated sectors that handle sensitive information.
Design changes
The latest version retains the core features of the earlier model, including hardware-based encryption, tamper-resistant construction and software-free authentication. It also adds an environmental protection circuit designed to protect the device when operating conditions move outside approved thresholds.
Under the FIPS 140-3 guidelines cited by Apricorn, removable storage devices are tested for operation between 0C and 70C and for amperage spikes of up to 10%. The Aegis Secure Key 3.0 now shuts down automatically if those limits are exceeded and can be brought back online once conditions return to normal.
Apricorn said this feature is intended to reduce the risk of physical failure and data loss in harsher environments. The device is aimed at settings where data must remain secure despite physical or operational stress, including defence, healthcare, finance and legal digital forensics.
Chief Executive Officer Jeanclaude Toma said the update reflects a broader effort to align Apricorn's products with the latest federal security standards.
"With our submission of the ASK3 for FIPS 140-3 Level 3 validation, we're reinforcing a design that was built from the start to meet and exceed these requirements," Toma said.
"We engineer all of our products to deliver consistent, real-world security under the conditions our customers actually face. In the near term we will see FIPS 140-3 validation across our diverse product lines, positioning Apricorn as the only AS9100 certified provider of FIPS-based security offerings," he said.
Market focus
Encrypted removable storage remains a niche but persistent category in the wider cybersecurity and endpoint protection market, particularly among organisations that still rely on moving data between secured systems, remote sites and air-gapped networks. In those environments, physical resilience and compliance with recognised standards can be as important as capacity and speed.
Apricorn said the latest hardware revisions were shaped by demand from users with strict security requirements. The updated model is intended not only to satisfy compliance benchmarks but also to address operational risks from heat, power fluctuations and other environmental pressures.
Managing director Kurt Markley said those customer demands informed the product changes.
"We listened to our most security-conscious customers and updated the ASK3 to represent a meaningful leap forward in how secure storage performs and how it withstands real-world conditions," Markley said.
"The ASK3 has gone beyond checking a compliance box, improving speed and introducing protections that actively safeguard the device itself. This is about giving our customers a tool that performs at scale without compromising security or durability," he said.
California-based Apricorn sells encrypted storage products to customers in government, aerospace, industrial, healthcare, finance, education and legal sectors. Its products are software-free and use hardware-based encryption for data at rest and portable storage use cases.
The updated Aegis Secure Key 3.0 is available through Apricorn's reseller network. A FIPS 140-3 Level 3-validated configuration will follow once the federal review process is complete.