User Manual

Enterprise Self-Encrypting Drive User’s Guide, Rev. B 14
2.5 PSID
PSID is the Physical owner of the drive (Physical SID). This password is assigned by Seagate during the manufacturing
process and is a password that cannot be changed by the host system. The PSID credential:
a. Is printed in readable format on the base of the drive label as shown in Figure 8.
b. May also be provided on the label in bar code form.
Figure 8. Sample drive label
PSID can be used to invoke a RevertSP command which will result in the drive being reverted back to a default state
and will complete a crypto erase on the entire drive. This will result in the drive acting like it just spun up new for the
first time.
PSID together with a Makers Credential, whose value is known only to Seagate, can cause the drive to be switched
into the diagnostic state. This state would be used by Seagate to perform advanced diagnostics on drives which have
been returned under warranty for failure analysis. When a drive is switched to the diagnostic state by Seagate, the
switch causes an automatic cryptographic erase to be performed and all user data is lost.
It is important to note here that drives returned under warranty will be locked against data access as soon as they are
removed from the host system and power is lost. Access to user data is therefore only possible under password con-
trol. The automatic cryptographic erase (change of encryption key) performed during the switch to diagnostic mode
is an added precaution to assure customers that access to their data is impossible during advanced diagnostic analy-
sis.
If customers are still unconvinced that their data is secure, they can use the owner's password (SID) to disable the
Makers Credential. This is not an action that should be undertaken lightly however since it will prevent the drive from
being switched into diagnostic mode and hence disable any attempt at failure analysis and subsequent re-disposi-
tion.