Top flash memory manufacturer Samsung has now claimed another "world's first" title with the announcement of a full line-up of self-encrypting solid state drives. Coming in 1.8-inch and 2.5-inch form factors with capacities between 64 and 256GB, the new drives make use of hardware-based encryption to protect data as soon as it is stored.

"Samsung has combined the tremendous performance advantages of solid state technology with integrated hardware encryption for drives designed especially for today's 'road warrior' professionals," said Jim Elliott, memory vice president, Samsung Semiconductor, Inc. "Business users now get the best of performance and security in a single drive."

Likely based on Samsung's current SSD offer, the self-encrypting drivers come bundled with Wave's EMBASSY management software, with Dell already announcing that it will be adding them to its PC offer.