Phantomdrive

It starts as a boring flash drive.

Phantomdrive masquerades itself as a normal 8GB drive. The remainder of the disk stays hidden until the unlock sequence is activated.

Phantomdrive Unlock Sequence

  1. 01

    Mounts normally

    Phantomdrive first appears as a normal USB drive.

  2. 02

    Waits for the trigger

    To trigger: create a text file containing password:addyourpasswordhere.

  3. 03

    Snoops the password

    The device reads your password and derives an AES256 key. The password is never written to memory.

  4. 04

    Reveals the rest

    The remaining disk is remounted, and data is encrypted and decrypted in place.

Project Details

  • Container size:8GB is reserved for for your "unencrypted" section. While the remainder of the SD card is left for encrypted data.
  • Open hardware:Hardware, firmware, software, and mechanical files are open source.
  • Storage:An SD card is used for storage, so you determine the capacity. SD card not included.
  • Nondescript enclosure:The enclosure has no special markings.
  • Speed:We've recorded 20 MB/s reads and 9 MB/s writes. We're working to improve it.
  • Easy updates:The CH569W firmware can be updated by pressing the reset button while inserting it into your PC. No special programmer required.
  • KDF:The key derivation function is open.
  • UART:UART is available through TP1, TP2, and TP3.
  • Designed in KiCad:You do not need to pay thousands to edit the design files.
Phantomdrive prototype hero image
Prototype hero
Phantomdrive PCB front
PCB front
Phantomdrive PCB back
PCB back
Closed Phantomdrive prototype
Closed prototype

FAQ

Questions and Answers

When will my device ship?

The campaign will run until July 15th, 2026. I will start manufacturing after, which will take 4–8 weeks. The first backers should start seeing their Phantomdrives after that.

Do you have a history of shipping hardware?

Yes! My previous crowdfunding campaign Ovrdrive was successful. I've also shipped hundreds of Flipper Blackhats and Blankpants. Jump on our Discord (linked below) to chat with our community.

How far along is the project?

The engineering is finished and the devices have been tested. There are 30 units out in the field already.

Isn't this just VeraCrypt?

No. An encrypted volume exposes random-looking encrypted data. Phantomdrive presents normal unenencrypted data, then reveals the protected section after being unlocked. When the device is locked, there's no way for the OS to know there's more space or data on the drive.

Isn't entering a password into a text file insecure?

The firmware snoops for the string "password:xyz" and inhibits the write of "xyz". Otherwise, yes this would be very insecure.

Why use an SD card?

Because of AI driving up the cost of eMMC. In the future I will likely make an eMMC version, and you will get a discount code if you support this project now.

What KDF do you use?

AES(sha256(password | salt)) 100k sha256's. The salt is "per device". Since it's an open source project, you have the option to implement your own KDF.

Can't you just crack open the device and take out the SD card?

Yes, but all the data is encrypted.

Why Crowdfunding?

As a small maker, I can't take the risk to order large initial volumes. Crowdfunding gives me a way to aggregate orders so that everyone can get a device.

Why not Kickstarter?

I have used crowdfunding platforms before; they take a cut, which increases the price for you.

Phantomdrive Back it