Aegis Padlock
User’s Manual
Copyright © Apricorn, Inc 2012. All rights reserved.
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
All other trademarks and copyrights referred to are the property of their
respective owners.
Distribution of substantively modied versions of this document is prohibited
without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.
Distribution of the work or derivative work in any standard (paper) book form for
commercial purposes is prohibited unless prior permission is obtained from the
copyright holder.
DOCUMENTATION IS PROVIDED AS IS AND ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED
CONDITIONS, REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED
WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR
NON-INFRINGEMENT, ARE DISCLAIMED, EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT THAT SUCH
DISCLAIMERS ARE HELD TO BE LEGALLY INVALID
Table of Contents
About the Aegis Padlock Portable Secure Hard Drive 4
Package contents 4
Aegis Padlock button panel 5
Aegis Padlock - Getting Started 6
Before you begin 6
Connecting the Aegis Padlock 6
Connecting the Aegis Padlock with USB Y-Cable 7
How do I use the Aegis Padlock the rst time? 7
What if I forget the User Password? 7
Using the Aegis Padlock 8
Entering the Standby Mode 8
Entering the User Mode 8
Exiting the User Mode 8
Entering the Admin Mode 9
Exiting the Admin Mode 9
Password Management 10
Changing the Admin Password 10
Adding a new User Password 11
Deleting the User Passwords 11
Changing the User Password 11
Aegis Padlock Brute Force Protection 12
What is Brute Force Attack? 12
How does the Aegis Padlock protect against brute force attack? 12
Completely resetting the Aegis Padlock 13
Initializing and formatting the Aegis Padlock after a complete reset 13
Hibernating, Suspending, or Logging off from the Operating System 15
Troubleshooting 16
Technical Support 18
Warranty and RMA information 18
About the Aegis Padlock Portable
Secure Hard Drive
Looking for an effortless way to secure
your data? The Aegis Padlock Secure Drive
is the ultimate portable hard drive and
secure storage system. With an easy-to-use
keypad design and software free setup, the
Aegis Padlock Secure Drive enables you
to access the drive with your own unique
pin. Featuring a choice of AES-128 or 256
bit hardware encryption, the Aegis Padlock
provides seamless real-time encryption,
keeping your data safe even if the hard
drive is removed from its enclosure.
Package contents
• Aegis Padlock drive with
integrated USB cable
• Travel pouch
• USB Y-cable
• Quick Start Guide
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Aegis Padlock
Quick Start Guide
Your Aegis Padlock is preformatted and ready for use. To access the Aegis Padlock plug your
drive into a powered USB port, enter the default PIN number of 123456 and press .
The indicator light will change from RED to GREEN indicating the drive is unlocked and can be
accessed.
Changing the ADMIN PIN number to your own unique PIN number
You are the “administrator” of this drive. The rst thing you will want to do is change the
Administrator PIN number from the default 123456 to a unique, secure PIN number that you
will remember.
To change the Admin PIN number follow the instructions below:
To enter Admin Mode, rst plug the drive into the USB port and wait until the LED light 1.
turns RED.
Next, press and hold 0 + for 5 seconds until the LED light ashes RED.2.
Enter the Admin PIN number (default is 123456) and press . The LED light will turn 3.
BLUE indicating you are in Admin Mode.
While in Admin Mode, press and hold 9 + until the LED light ashes BLUE.4.
Enter the new PIN number (minimum 6 digits) and press . The LED light will ash 5.
GREEN 3 times if successful.
Re-enter the new PIN number and press . The LED light will stay solid GREEN for 2 6.
seconds indicating you have successfully changed the Admin PIN.
To exit admin mode and begin using your Aegis Padlock drive, press the CANCEL 7.
button until the LED turns RED. Now enter your new PIN number and press .
Remember to save your password in a safe
place. If lost or forgotten, there is no way to
access the drive.
If you are having diculty please refer to
the complete user’s manual which is loaded
on your Aegis Padlock drive and is also
2
3
1
abc
def
available at Apricorn’s website at:
www.apricorn.com/support
2
5
4
jkl6mno
ghi
1
9
wxyz8tuv7pqrs
Cancel button
1
cancel
0
button
2
3
LED Indicator light
3
4
Aegis Padlock button panel
1
Cancel button
button
Indicator light
2
1
abc
5
4
ghi
8
7
tuv
pqrs
cancel
The “Cancel” button can be used to:
0
3
def
6
jkl
mno
9
wxyz
2
3
• Cancel current operation
• Return to the previous step when you knowingly entered a wrong
password
• Exit the Admin Mode
The button can be used to access the Aegis Padlock and it can also be used
as an OK acknowledgement in the following operations:
• Entering a password
• Conrming a new password
The indicator light displays the following colors to indicate the various modes of
operation:
• Red: Standby Mode
• Blue: Admin Mode
• Green: User Mode
The indicator light has other display methods to indicate different status of the
Aegis Padlock. Details are provided later in this chapter.
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5
Aegis Padlock - Getting Started
Before you begin
Be sure to review the following information before you begin to use the Aegis
Padlock.
Attention: Use only the included cables with your Aegis Padlock. You might
damage the drive if you use a cable not included with the Aegis Padlock.
The Aegis Padlock is designed for portable use without an AC power adapter and
in most cases will be able to power on a single USB port. In the event that the
Aegis Padlock is unable to power on a single USB connection, use the included
USB Y-cable.
Connecting the Aegis Padlock
1. Attach the integrated USB cable of the Aegis Padlock dri ve to an av ailable USB
port on your computer, as shown below.
2. The Aegis Padlock indicator light should glow red.
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If the Indicator light
does not power, use the
included USB Y-cable.
Refer to directions on the
following page
6
Connecting the Aegis Padlock with USB Y-Cable
If the indicator light does not power on a single USB connection, use the included
USB Y-cable.
1. Attach the Aegis Padlock’ s integr ated USB cable to the female connector of the
USB Y-cable.
2. Connect the two male USB connectors to two available
USB ports on your computer.
3. The Aegis Padlock indicator light should glow red.
How do I use the Aegis Padlock the rst time?
You can use it in one of the f ollowing w ays:
• Enter the Admin Mode with 123456 (default administrator password), and
then you are able to change the Admin Password or create a User Password.
• Directly enter the Secure User Mode with 123456 (default Admin
Password) to use the Aegis Padlock.
What if I forget the User Password?
Use your Admin Password to enter Admin Mode, and then create another User
Password in Admin Mode.
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Using the Aegis Padlock
Entering and exiting the Standby Mode, Admin
Mode, and User Mode
Entering the Standby Mode
The Standby Mode is the default working mode of the Aegis Padlock and is the
gateway to other working modes.
To enter the Standby Mode, attach the Aegis Padlock to your computer. The drive
automatically goes into Standby Mode and the indicator light turns red. In this
mode, the Aegis Padlock is locked. It cannot be recognized by My Computer and
it does not provide either the regular functions or the encryption function. However,
it enables you to enter and switch between the Admin Mode and the User Mode.
Attention: To switch between the Admin Mode and the User Mode, you are
required to switch to the Standby Mode rst, and then you can enter the
mode of your choice.
Entering the User Mode
To enter the User Mode, do the following:
1. Attach the Secure Hard Driv e to y our computer. It enters the Standby Mode.
2. Enter the User Password or the Admin Password (the default Admin Password is
123456) and press . The indicator light turns green indicating that the drive
is in the User Mode. If the indicator light ashes red, you need to re-enter the
correct password.
Exiting the User Mode
To exit the User Mode, double-click the Safely Remove Hardware icon from
the Microsoft® Windows® desktop, and then remove the Aegis Padlock f rom your
computer.
Attach the Aegis Padlock to your computer again and the indicator light turns r ed.
This indicates that you are in the Standby Mode.
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Entering the Admin Mode
Note: The Aegis Padlock cannot be recognized by the oper ating system in the
Admin Mode.
To enter the Admin Mode, do the following:
1. Attach the USB cable to an available USB port on your computer. The Aegis
Padlock goes into the Standby Mode, and the indicator light turns red.
2. Press and hold + 0 for ve seconds until the indicator light ashes red. This
indicates that you can enter the Admin Password.
3. Enter the Admin Password and press . The def ault Admin Password is
123456. The Secure Hard Drive is in Admin Mode when the indicator light has
changed to blue.
Exiting the Admin Mode
To exit the Admin Mode, press the “Cancel” button in the Admin Mode until the
indicator light turns red. This indicates that you are in the Standby Mode.
Note: If the indicator light ashes red for a few seconds, indicating the
Aegis Padlock has returned to the Standby Mode, go back to Step 2. This
is due to one of the following conditions:
• You entered an incorrect Admin Password in Step 3.
• No activity was detected within two minutes in the Admin Mode.
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9
Password Management
This section provides information about managing your password in the Admin
Mode and User Mode.
Changing the Admin Password
You can change the Admin Password by doing the following:
1. Enter Admin Mode (refer to page 9 for detail s).
2. Press and hold + 9 until the indicator light ashes blue.
3. Enter the new password and press (The P assword must be a minimum of
6 digits and a maximum of 16 digits). The indicator light ashes green three
times. See note below.
4. Re-enter the new Admin Password and pr ess . The i ndicator light sta ys solid
green for two seconds and then solid blue indicating that the Admin Password
has been changed successfully.
Note: If the indicator light ashes red three times, this indicates that the
password is less than 6 digits or more than 16 digits. Enter a
password that contains 6 – 16 digits after the indicator light ashes
blue intermittently.
1. If the indicator light ashes red intermittently and then blue
intermittently, go back to step 3. This is due to one of the following
conditions:
• You waited longer than 10 seconds before entering a passwor d.
• The new password was entered incorrectly .
2. If no activity is detected within two minutes in the Admin Mode, the
Aegis Padlock will return to the Standby Mode.
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10
Adding a new User Password
You can add a new User Password by doing the following:
1. Enter the Admin Mode (refer to page 9 for details).
2. Press and hold + 1 until the indicator light ashes blue intermittently.
3. Enter a User Password and pr ess (a minimum of 6 digits and a maximum
of 16 digits) The indicator light ashes green three times.
4. Re-enter the new User Password and press . If the indicator light stays
solid green for two seconds and then solid blue, the User Password was
added successfully.
Deleting the User Passwords
You can delete all User Passwords by doing the following:
1. Enter the Admin Mode (refer to page 9 for details).
2. Press and hold 7 + 8 + for ve seconds until the indicator light ashes blue
intermittently. After the indicator light ashes green three times and then blue
intermittently.
3. Press and hold 7 + 8 + a second time for ve seconds until the indicator
light goes on solid green for two seconds and then back to solid blue, this
indicates that the User Passwords were deleted successfully.
Changing the User Password
You can change the User Password by doing the following:
1. Enter User Mode (refer to page 8 for details).
2. Press and hold + 1 until the indicator light ashes red.
3. Enter your old password and press . The indi cator light will turn green,
then change to ashing blue.
4. Enter the new password and press (The Password must be a minimum of
6 digits and a maximum of 16 digits). The indicator light will ash green three
times.
5. Re-enter the new User Password and press . The indicator light stays solid
green indicating that the User Password has been changed successfully.
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Aegis Padlock Brute Force Protection
What is Brute Force Attack?
In cryptanalysis, a brute force attack is a method of defeating a cryptographic
scheme by systematically trying a large number of possibilities; for example, a
large number of the possible keys in a key space in order to decrypt a message.
In most schemes, the theoretical possibility of a brute force attack is recognized,
but it is set up in such a way that it would be computationally infeasible to carry
out. Accordingly, one denition of “breaking” a cryptographic scheme is to nd a
method faster than a brute force attack.
How does the Aegis Padlock protect against
brute force attack?
1. With the drive locked and in the standby state the LED is red solid
2. After six tries to enter the correct user or admin password the keypad will
not respond and LED will turn off. The drive will need to be unplugged from
the USB port and repluged. This will be repeated for each six unsuccessful
attempts.
3. If the user, unsuccessfully tries to unlock the drive on his 25th try the keypad
will lock and the LED will begin blinking quickly. Even if unplugging and
replugging the drive will remain locked with the LED blinking quickly
4. Here are the steps to allow the user to unlock the keypad for 25 more
attempts to unlock his drive.
a. Unplug the device from the computer
b. Push and hold the number ve key and plug-in the drive
c. The LED will be blinking alternating red and green fast
d. Enter the code 5278879 and press button.
e. The keypad will unlock and will be in the standby state with the LED
solid red, this will allow only 25 more attempts
g. After a total of 50 Attempts the drive will remain locked with the LED
ashing red quickly. You must now go through the reset process and
reformat the drive to be able to use the drive again. (see page 8)
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Completely resetting the Aegis Padlock
If you forget all the User Passwords or Admin Passwords, you can perform a
complete reset to remove all the User Passwords, and restor e the Admin Password
to the default 123456.
Attention: Completely resetting the Aegis Padlock will erase all the data
on the drive. You will need to partition and format the Aegis Padlock with
disk management applications.
To perform a complete reset of the drive, do the following:
1. Press and hold the “Cancel” button while you attach the Aegis Padlock to an
available USB port on your computer. The indicator light will ash blue and
red alternately.
Note: If no activity is detected for 30 seconds in this step, the Aegis Padlock
will go into the Standby Mode.
2. Press and hold “Cancel” + + 2 for 10 seconds until the indicator light
turns solid green for two seconds and then solid red. You have successfully
reset the Aegis Padlock.
Initializing and formatting the Aegis Padlock
after a complete reset
A complete reset of the Aegis Padlock will erase all informati on and partition
settings. Y ou will need to initializ e and f ormat the Aegis Padlock.
To initialize your Aegis Padlock, do the following:
1. After a complete reset, attach the Aegis Padlock to the computer.
2. Wait 5 seconds for the computer to renumerate the device.
3. Enter the default User Password 123456 and press to enter the User
Mode.
4. Right-click My Computer, and then click Manage from the Windows
desktop.
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13
5. In the Computer Manage window, click Disk Management. In the Disk
Management window, the Aegis Padlock is recognized as an unknown device
that is uninitialized and unallocated.
6. Do the following to make the drive recognized as a basic drive.
• If the Initialize and Convert Disk Wizard window opens, click Cancel,
then initialize the disk manually using the following steps.
a. Right-click Unknown Disk, and then select Initialize Disk.
b. In the Initialize Disk window, click OK.
7. Right-click in the blank area under the Unallocated section, and then select
New Partition. The Welcome to the New Partition Wizard window opens.
8. Click Next.
9. Select Primary partition and click Next.
10. If you need only one partition, accept the default partition size and click
Next.
11. Click Next.
12. Create a volume label, select Perform a quick format, and then click Next.
13. Click Finish.
14. Wait until the format process is complete. The Aegis Padlock will be
recognized and it is available for use.
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Hibernating, Suspending, or Logging off from
the Operating System
Be sure to save and close all the les on your Aegis Padlock before hibernating,
suspending, or logging off from the Windows operating system.
It is recommended that you log off the Aegis Padlock manually befor e
hibernating, suspending, or logging off from your system.
To log off the Aegis Padlock, double-click Safely Remove Hardwar e on the Windows
desktop and remove the Aegis Padlock from y our computer.
Attention: To ensure the data integrity of your Aegis Padlock, be sure to
lock or log off your Aegis Padlock if you are:
• away from your computer
• using the switching user function by sharing a computer with others
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15
Troubleshooting
This section contains troubleshooting information for the Aegis Padlock. If
you encounter any of the following problems when using the Aegis P adlock, ref er
to the corresponding answers.
Q: How do I use the Aegis Padlock the rst time?
A: Y ou can use it in one of the f ollowing w ays:
• Enter the Admin Mode with 123456 (default administrator password), and
then you are able to change the Admin Password or create a User Password
• Directly enter the Secure User Mode with 123456 (default Admin
Password) to use the Aegis Padlock
Q: What can I do if I forget the User Password?
A: Use your Admin Password to enter Admin Mode, and then create another
User Password in Admin Mode.
Q: What can I do if I forget the Admin Password?
A: There is no other way to retrieve the Admin Password except a complete reset
of the Aegis Padlock. After a complete reset, all data will be lost and you will
need to initialize, allocate and format the Aegis Padlock manually. Then you will
be able to use the default Admin Password 123456.
Q: Why did the operating system not recognize the Aegis Padlock after
I enter the User Mode and completely reset the computer?
A: You need to initialize, allocate and format the Aegis Padlock manually. For
more information, refer to Initializing and formatting the Hard Drive after
a complete reset in this manual.
Q: Can I initialize and format the Aegis Padlock with Windows user
account?
A: No, this is a Windows limitation, you must use the Admin account to initialize
and format the Aegis Padlock.
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Q: How do I use the Aegis Padlock without a password?
A: As a full disk encryption product, the Aegis Padlock can never be used
without a password.
Q: What encryption algorithm is used in this product?
A: Depending on your model the Aegis Padlock uses either AES 128-bit or 256-bit
algorithm.
Q: Why could I not change my User Password which has the same digits
as the Admin password?
A: You can change it only in the Admin Mode. In the User Mode, the User
Password which has the same digits is created in the Admin Mode cannot be
changed or deleted.
Q: Why could I not initialize, partition or format the Aegis Padlock?
A: Ensure that you have administrator privileges. You can use only the
administrator account to initialize, partition or format the Aegis Padlock in
the Admin Mode.
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17
Technical Support
Apricorn provides the following helpful resources for you:
1. Apricorn’s Website (http://www.apricorn.com)
This gives you the ability to check for up-to-date information
2. E-mail us at support@apricorn.com
3. Or call the Technical Support Department at 1-800-458-5448
Apricorn’s Technical Support Specialists are available from 8:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m., Pacic Standard Time Monday through Friday
Warranty and RMA information
One Year Limited Warranty:
Apricorn offers a 3-year limited warranty on the Aegis Padlock against defects in materials and
workmanship under normal use. The warranty period is effective from the date of purchase either
directly from Apricorn or an authorized reseller.
Disclaimer and terms of the warranties:
THE WARRANTY BECOMES EFFECTIVE ON THE DATE OF PURCHASE AND MUST BE VERIFIED WITH
YOUR SALES RECEIPT OR INVOICE DISPLAYING THE DATE OF PRODUCT PURCHASE.
APRICORN WILL, AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE, REPAIR OR REPLACE DEFECTIVE PARTS WITH
NEW PARTS OR SERVICEABLE USED PARTS THAT ARE EQUIVALENT TO NEW IN PERFORMANCE.
ALL EXCHANGED PARTS AND PRODUCTS REPLACED UNDER THIS WARRANTY WILL BECOME THE
PROPERTY OF APRICORN.
THIS WARRANTY DOES NO T EXTEND TO ANY PRODUCT NOT PURCHASED DIRECTL Y FROM APRICORN
OR AN AUTHORIZED RESELLER OR TO ANY PRODUCT THAT HAS BEEN DAMAGED OR RENDERED
DEFECTIVE: 1. AS A RESUL T OF ACCIDENT , MISUSE, NEGLECT, ABUSE OR FAILURE AND/OR INABILIT Y
TO FOLLOW THE WRIT TEN INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THIS INSTRUCTION GUIDE: 2. BY THE USE
OF PARTS NOT MANUFACTURED OR SOLD BY APRICORN; 3. BY MODIFICATION OF THE PRODUCT;
OR 4. AS A RESUL T OF SERVICE, ALTERNATION OR REPAIR BY ANYONE OTHER THAN APRICORN AND
SHALL BE VOID. THIS WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.
NO OTHER WARRANTY, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OR
MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, HAS BEEN OR WILL BE MADE BY
OR ON BEHALF OF APRICORN OR BY OPERATION OF LAW WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT OR ITS
INSTALLATION, USE, OPERATION, REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR.
APRICORN SHALL NOT BE LIABLE BY VIRTUE OF THIS WARRANTY, OR OTHERWISE, FOR ANY
INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGE INCLUDING ANY LOSS OF DATA RESULTING
FROM THE USE OR OPERATION OF THE PRODUCT, WHETHER OR NOT APRICORN W AS APPRISED OF
THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
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18
© Apricorn, Inc. 2012. All rights reserved.
12191 Kirkham Road
Poway, CA, U.S.A. 92064
1-858-513-2000 www.apricorn.com
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