Guardonix USB 3.0 Professional Edition

Guardonix USB 3.0 Professional Edition

Guardonix USB 3.0 Professional Edition is an advanced hardware write blocker, connection stabilizer, and data acquisition accelerator designed for digital forensics, securing evidence, and working with damaged and unstable storage media.

The device is installed between a Windows computer and the storage media being examined and hardware-assisted write blocking, protecting source data from being altered during reading, copying, and forensic imaging. The Professional Edition expands the capabilities of the basic Guardonix with advanced read error handling, damaged HDD and SSD data acquisition acceleration, real-time keyword searching, and extensive control and visualization of the data acquisition process.

The Professional Edition utilizes hardware reset and source power-up mechanisms to reduce the time it takes to resolve bad sectors. In the event of a complete media failure, the device can automatically re-power itself after a configured time of 10, 30, or 60 seconds if previous hardware resets fail to restore communication.

Guardonix also stabilizes the connection between the source and the computer. The manufacturer states that the computer connection can remain active even if the tested media is physically disconnected during imaging.

Available Versions and Accessories

Guardonix Standard Edition – the basic version of the device, including hardware write blocking, USB stabilization, logging, and basic support for unstable media.

Guardonix Professional Edition – enhanced functionality of the Standard Edition via a firmware update.

Professional Edition Upgrade – a license/firmware update enabling the upgrade of an existing Guardonix Standard Edition to the Professional version.

Set of Adapters – an optional set of adapters, including:
SATA HDD adapter,
SATA SSD adapter,
SD card adapter,
M.2 M-key PCIe/NVMe SSD adapter,
Apple 12-pin PCIe SSD adapter,
Apple 16-pin PCIe SSD adapter.

Software Required for Operation

Microsoft Windows 10 x64 or Windows 11 x64.
Guardonix software and firmware provided by the manufacturer. Guardonix works with Windows-based applications and is not a standalone program for performing full forensic analysis.
Forensic image creation or further analysis of the material, you can use appropriate Windows-based forensic software.

Purchased Guardonix devices do not require a constant internet connection and, according to the manufacturer, come with a perpetual device license. The internet connection limitation and time-based license apply to devices provided in the demo program.

Advantages

Hardware write blocking independent of Windows file system mechanisms.
Protects original evidence from unintentional modification.
Advanced stabilization of communication with unstable or partially damaged media.
Ability to maintain a connection to the computer even in the event of problems or physical disconnection of the source.
Hardware-based resets and automatic media repowering.
Significantly more advanced bad sector handling than in the Standard Edition.
Supports degraded HDDs, SATA SSDs, and NVMe SSDs.
Reducing unnecessary bad sector rereads can limit further degradation of physically damaged media.
Accelerates data acquisition from fast flash and SSD drives.
Built-in keyword search during imaging.
Option to block automatic mounting of the Windows file system.
Advanced logging, useful for documenting the evidence acquisition process.
Option to save S.M.A.R.T. logs before and after imaging. A graphical sector map and speed graph allow for real-time assessment of the drive's health.
Access to advanced HPA/DCO/AMAC areas.
ATA Password and WD Smartware support.
Upgrade your existing Standard Edition to Professional Edition via a firmware update, without having to replace your hardware.

Disadvantages and Limitations

The manufacturer requires Windows 10 or Windows 11 x64; the official purchase page does not claim support for macOS or Linux.
The standard manufacturer warranty is only 1 year.
The Professional Edition is an additional paid firmware upgrade – it is not included in the basic Guardonix Standard Edition.
Some SATA/NVMe-related functionality requires optional adapters.
The manufacturer notes that features marked with an asterisk in the documentation are guaranteed only for SATA devices used with the optional Guardonix adapter kit; using third-party adapters may limit the ability to pass required commands.
The keyword search function is intended for triage, not for full forensic searches. The manufacturer advises that it may occasionally fail to detect a valid match and therefore should not be considered a replacement for full forensic analysis.
The feature limiting retries for bad blocks can increase imaging speed, but at the cost of potentially missing some valid sectors contained in blocks containing errors. Therefore, the setting must be consciously selected by the operator.
The device is primarily a tool supporting data acquisition and source stabilization – it does not replace comprehensive forensic analysis software.
It is not a standalone forensic imager – a computer with appropriate software is used for the imaging and analysis process.