Can a FIPS 140-2 Level 3 Validated 256-bit Encryption USB Stick be Cracked?

[eiggnwei4t445]

Imagine you have the remedy for cancer and need to protect the formula from evil corporations which are going to destroy it if they find it.

would a FIPS 140-2 Level 3 Validated 256-bit Encryption USB key
be uncrackable by ANY agency worldwide?

the usb key is hardware encrypted and unlocks by entering a pin.

[Alex]

On 05/04/2017 07:42 PM, eiggnwei4t445 wrote:
> Imagine you have the remedy for cancer and need to protect the
> formula from evil corporations which are going to destroy it if they
> find it.

Don't protect it, share the formula with the world ;) the more the
copies, the harder it is to destroy it.

>
> would a FIPS 140-2 Level 3 Validated 256-bit Encryption USB key be
> uncrackable by ANY agency worldwide?
>
> the usb key is hardware encrypted and unlocks by entering a pin.

Threat model does not make sense: thermorectal cryptanalysis will get to
the data. Or the $5 wrench from the famous XKCD panel. You name it.

There's no such thing as a single meter for "security", be it
cryptography, steganography, plausible deniability or anything like that.

--
Alex

[Alan]

I don't think he was asking about the thermorectal or wrench techniques. Those 'cracking' techniques are common to all encryption. There is nothing that can't be got at in some way. Question should be: what the best available option? I'd also caution about reading too much into FIPS certification. Lots of drives with level 2 turned out to have major flaws. And are all level 3 drives the same? Ironkey, has level 3, but older IronKey drives, which bricked after 10 failed attempts, might be more secure than newer models that can be reset.