If you’ve ever watched Mission Impossible, where Jim Phelps gets instructions from an audio tape that catches fire after five seconds, TeamGroup has an external SSD with your name on it. The T-Create Expert P35S is a portable USB-powered SSD that comes with a self-destruct button, which wipes all your data and physically renders the device useless.
The rectangular black drive weighs just 1.5 ounces (42 g) and measures 3.5 x 1.6 x 0.7 inches (90 x 40 x 18 mm) while holding 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB or 2 TB of data, depending on which SKU you choose. It uses a standard USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface that can transfer data at rates of up to 1,000 MB/s read or write.
TeamGroup T-Create Expert P35S – Click to enlarge
However, the real standout feature of the P35S is its ability to brick itself … permanently. On the top surface of the drive, there’s a switch that you can use to initiate the kill process. To make sure you don’t trigger it by accident, you must perform a two-step process. First, you must slide the switch forward, revealing a red warning strip. Then you must press the switch down, after which point your drive will no longer be a functional piece of kit.
The drive uses what TeamGroup calls “dual-mode data destruction” with “chip destruction” mechanisms. It’s not really clear from the press release how this is all accomplished, but we assume from the term “dual mode” that it is both performing a software wipe and physically damaging itself.
TeamGroup calls this operation “One-click circuit destruction” and claims that it “physically destroys the NAND chip to ensure zero data residue and prevent any form of data recovery.” The press materials warn that performing this process destroys the drive and renders your warranty void.
There’s one key limitation to the destruction process. You need to have the drive plugged into the USB port of a PC or Mac to initiate it. The need for a computer could slow you down in the wrong circumstances.
TeamGroup writes that “the T-Create Expert P35S is designed for immediate destruction of highly sensitive information in emergent situations.” But what exactly is an “emergent situation?” We can only imagine.
If you’re a spy carrying around top-secret files and you hear the enemy trying to break down your door, you can … ask them to wait a minute while you plug the P35S into a computer and go through the wiping process? Maybe.
Or think of the P35S as a toilet where you can flush away your contraband when you’re just about to be caught. If you’re a criminal and have stolen sensitive information on the drive, and you see the police pulling up in your driveway, you can run over to your computer, plug it in, and hit the button on the device. But you’d better see the cops coming and have your USB-C cable handy.
Aside from destroying itself, the P35S doesn’t do anything else to secure your data. While other Flash drives have hardware encryption, fingerprint readers, or even number pads on them, TeamGroup’s device only helps you when you have the time and presence of mind to destroy it. If someone gets their hands on it before you hit the button, you’re out of luck.
TeamGroup just announced the drive on Thursday and has yet to provide pricing or availability information. ®
