The P35S needs to be connected to a computer with a USB-C cable, and that button functions as a two-stage sliding switch. Sliding it to the first stage, partially revealing a red warning sign, requires a bit of force. While pushing it to the second stage, which starts the self-destruction, requires even more force.
Once the self-destruction is started it will continue until the drive is blanked and dead, even if it’s disconnected from a computer.
So the drive can’t start wiping itself unless it’s plugged in, but it’ll wipe itself completely even if someone detains you and takes the drive and your computer, as long as you have time to hit the button.
Initially I thought this was silly for the same reasons you did, but consider: if you’re using proper encryption it’s going to be difficult or impossible to decrypt the files on the drive, so the data should be secure even if the drive is stolen, copied, etc.
However, when you’re actively using the drive and have files decrypted, and then you lose physical access to your devices, you have a problem. IIRC that’s how they got Ross Ulbricht’s files - monitored him until he unlocked his laptop in a cafe and then grabbed it (and him). If you’re worried about that specific threat profile it makes a little more sense to have an easily accessible physical DELETE EVERYTHING NOW button that only operates when the drive is running.
Thought honestly I think this is security theater to make upper management feel like James Bond when giving PowerPoint presentations to external stakeholders, and in that case you want to minimize the possibility of accidental data wiping because the chance you’ll need to deliberately wipe the data is almost zero 😆
So the drive can’t start wiping itself unless it’s plugged in, but it’ll wipe itself completely even if someone detains you and takes the drive and your computer, as long as you have time to hit the button.
Initially I thought this was silly for the same reasons you did, but consider: if you’re using proper encryption it’s going to be difficult or impossible to decrypt the files on the drive, so the data should be secure even if the drive is stolen, copied, etc.
However, when you’re actively using the drive and have files decrypted, and then you lose physical access to your devices, you have a problem. IIRC that’s how they got Ross Ulbricht’s files - monitored him until he unlocked his laptop in a cafe and then grabbed it (and him). If you’re worried about that specific threat profile it makes a little more sense to have an easily accessible physical DELETE EVERYTHING NOW button that only operates when the drive is running.
Thought honestly I think this is security theater to make upper management feel like James Bond when giving PowerPoint presentations to external stakeholders, and in that case you want to minimize the possibility of accidental data wiping because the chance you’ll need to deliberately wipe the data is almost zero 😆