New WD external drive problems

[XanderSholtz]

I have had about 10 drives from western digitals newest models with smartware (ex. WDBAAF0020HBK) that the componets on the external controller board have failed, unfortunately when I hook the drives to the computer the drive looks as though it is encrypted. I had spent a good amount of time verifying with the clients and they all swore they never passworded / encrypted their drives. What I did was I bought one of these drives, put data onto it, then removed it from the enclosure and hooked it up to my computer via usb adapter, and the same issue, data is on the drive everywhere it should be, but is encrypted, however when I use the controller card the data is there and usuable. Has anyone else run into this and has anyone come up with a solution for this issue?

[drc]

WD's best-selling My Book Essential USB external Hard Drive features WD SmartWare Software that backs up your Data automatically and continuously, shows your backup as it happens, and brings back lost files effortlessly. Secure the drive with military-grade, 256-bit hardware-based Encryption and password protection.

Ugh.

[XanderSholtz]

I realized they had hardware encryption, but I still would have figured client would have to enable it, however I researched the topic and understand now. Hmm, any suggestions for how to get around this when I have a failed controller board?

[Cleanroom]

We had a WD come in a couple weeks ago with the same issue. We removed the drive from the enclosure and realized that all the data was encrypted. Then we did some research and noticed that the controller card in the external enclosure that has the USB connection is what stores the encryption information. At least from our tests of that one specific drive.

They fried that controller, luckily one of our engineers was able to get it working again. So we hooked up the drive back to the external enclosure, plugged it in through USB and the data was there waiting for extraction.

The client will have no idea that it is encrypted since it is encrypted from the manufacturer.

That is as far as our research went, since we were able to get the data back.

so you need both the drive and the enclosure working

[XanderSholtz]

We had a WD come in a couple weeks ago with the same issue. We removed the drive from the enclosure and realized that all the data was encrypted. Then we did some research and noticed that the controller card in the external enclosure that has the USB connection is what stores the encryption information. At least from our tests of that one specific drive.

They fried that controller, luckily one of our engineers was able to get it working again. So we hooked up the drive back to the external enclosure, plugged it in through USB and the data was there waiting for extraction.

The client will have no idea that it is encrypted since it is encrypted from the manufacturer.

That is as far as our research went, since we were able to get the data back.

so you need both the drive and the enclosure working

Thanks, that's pretty much the conclusion had come to, but I just wanted to see if there were any other ways to do it besides the solution I've come up with

[Pixels]

What wd have done here seems pointless or am I missing something??? I mean, what is the point of having an encryption scheme between two components that travel together in the same case - how does this make one's data safer??

[Cleanroom]

What wd have done here seems pointless or am I missing something??? I mean, what is the point of having an encryption scheme between two components that travel together in the same case - how does this make one's data safer??

Surprisingly i am still confused on this as well. Unless the client is supposed to put a password on first time use. If not the default encryption seems a little unnecessary. Since if you were to lose the device it is not like just the drive would get lost.

There may be more to this, but I have yet to see it

[Pixels]

What wd have done here seems pointless or am I missing something??? I mean, what is the point of having an encryption scheme between two components that travel together in the same case - how does this make one's data safer??

Surprisingly i am still confused on this as well. Unless the client is supposed to put a password on first time use. If not the default encryption seems a little unnecessary. Since if you were to lose the device it is not like just the drive would get lost.

There may be more to this, but I have yet to see it

Glad I'm not the only one bemused by this
Please, someone tell us we've got it wrong, that wd haven't created a system were the data is padlocked but with no way to take the key out of the padlock

[drc]

Typically drives like this come with some sort of manufacturer software to put a password to the encryption (for a similar example see any flash drive with a SanDisk controller).

[Pixels]

Ah, ok. So the data is always encrypted and if you have not nominated a password, then the data will always be decrypted when plugged into another m/c.
If you have nominated a password, then you'll be asked to enter that password when the drive is plugged to another m/c.

So by not nominating a password, the key is indeed left in the padlock - fair enough, but unfortunately if the hardware goes up in smoke, that key is lost.
Would be better for all if no password = no encryption

[drc]

And that's what makes recovering data from SanDisk flash drives fun!

[XanderSholtz]

And even better the 2.5" drives are encrypted and the controller is built onto the LB, should be a fun new obstacle

[drc]

I hope you have your IR BGA rework station ready

[Russwinters]

I hope you have your IR BGA rework station ready

Sigh, the future of data recovery is IR BGA reworking all day, and rebuilding controller algorithms all night....

[drc]

Sounds expensive

[XanderSholtz]

I hope you have your IR BGA rework station ready

Sigh, the future of data recovery is IR BGA reworking all day, and rebuilding controller algorithms all night....

Unfortunately seems you are right, since my original post I am starting to see an outbreak of this issue from all across the board, not just WD

[hddmania]

My guess is the built-in hardware/software encryption is going to make thing a bit harder...
ATA is no longer seen as a safe enough protection, so the newer and harder one to break is already on the market.

Started to see Bit-Lock to Go encrypted drives with damaged original MB that has the key chip now...

It seems that the DR price will never go down but to go up with the new technology keeps coming out and make it so much harder to get the data back from the hard drives.

Data Security & Personal Data Protection can also stop clients from getting their data back. May be it's time for some one to explain general public when to pick the protected hard drive over average non-protected hard drive. Over Used protection devices can financially hurt people in the case of their data loss

For most computer users at home to include myself really don't need hardware encrypted hard drives for the family photos and personal financial data. If the bad guys hack into our computer, even the drive was encrypted, they are going to see everything since the data was already unencrypted by myself by logging into the computer or leaving it on.

If the computer was off, there is no need for the encrypted drives to protect your data from hackers, because more than likey you don't have that top secret materials that hackers will try to break in even your computer was off.

It seems people are over reacting to the data security and end up costing themself more in case of the drive failure or misuse of the encryption devices. (I.E, mis-set the password or lost keys or hard drive crash)

Last edited by hddmania on March 1st, 2010, 11:24, edited 1 time in total.

[XanderSholtz]

Honestly to me it seems like they are trying to kill the Data Recovery industry, offing encryption that the end user does not notice, and does really not get a benefit from, then when they send it for recovery it cant be done. Needless to say my facility is working on a solution

[drc]

Needless to say my facility is working on a solution

Well when you crack 256-bit AES watch out for the NSA at your door

[XanderSholtz]

Needless to say my facility is working on a solution

Well when you crack 256-bit AES watch out for the NSA at your door

Can't go into detail, but we have some tricks up our sleeves