DiskAshurPRO Manual
DiskAshurPRO Manual
FIPS
Level 2 Certified
140-2
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Remember to save your PIN in a safe place. If lost or forgotten, there is no way to access the drive.
If you are having difficulty please refer to this complete user manual which is loaded on your diskAshur PRO drive and
is also available at iStorages website: www.istorage-uk.com/support
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Distribution of modified versions of this document is prohibited without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.
Distribution of the work or derivative work in any standard (paper) book form for commercial purposes is prohibited unless
prior permission is obtained from the copyright holder.
PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT, ARE DISCLAIMED, EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT THAT SUCH DISCLAIMERS ARE HELD
TO BE LEGALLY INVALID
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Table of Contents
Introduction ....................................................................................................................................4
Box contents ...................................................................................................................................4
1. Connecting diskAshur PRO ......................................................................................................5
2. Connecting with the USB Y-Cable ............................................................................................6
3. diskAshur PRO Layout .............................................................................................................7
4. First Time Use ..........................................................................................................................7
5. Locking the diskAshur PRO .....................................................................................................8
6. Unlocking the diskAshur PRO ..................................................................................................8
7. Admin Mode ............................................................................................................................8
8. Changing the Admin PIN .........................................................................................................8
9. Adding a new User PIN ............................................................................................................9
10. Deleting the User PINs .............................................................................................................9
11. Changing the User PIN ............................................................................................................9
12. Setting the Unattended Auto Lock Feature ................................................................................10
13. Brute Force Protection .............................................................................................................11
14. Setting a Self-Destruct PIN ......................................................................................................12
15. Performing a Complete Reset ...................................................................................................12
16. Initializing and formatting the diskAshur PRO after a complete reset ........................................13
17. Hibernating, Suspending or Logging off from the Operating System .......................................15
18. diskAshur PRO Setup for Mac OS ............................................................................................15
19. Troubleshooting .......................................................................................................................16
20. Technical Support ....................................................................................................................21
21. Warranty and RMA information ................................................................................................21
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Introduction
Looking for an effortless way to secure your data?
Looking for the highest level of security for your data while utilizing the fastest USB 3.0 speeds?
Look no further than the diskAshur PRO, certified and tested to NIST FIPS 140-2 Level 2 requirements. Sporting an
easy-to-use keypad design that is impervious to dust, grit and water. With a software free setup and operation, the diskAshur
PRO enables you to access the drive simply and easily with your own unique PIN. And with a super fast integrated USB 3.0
cable, you can access your data faster and more secure than ever before.
Box Contents
iStorage diskAshur PRO Manual v 2.2
1 SHIFT button
2 UNLOCK button
4
3 LOCK button
Travel Pouch
diskAshur PRO, the unit will do
2 a self-test to verify all security
components are working properly.
The LEDs will go through 3 test
stages RED, GREEN, and BLUE.
1 This will be followed by three
GREEN
PRO test. Any test failure will leave the
unit in an interoperable state with
the RED
First Time Use
Before the drive can be used, the Admin PIN MUST be set. The LED will display Solid
BLUE and Solid GREEN to indicate the diskAshur PRO is waiting for a PIN to be set.
USB Y-cable
To Set-up the Admin PIN:
1. Press UNLOCK + 9. The LED will change to Solid BLUE and Blinking GREEN.
2. Enter the new Admin PIN and press UNLOCK key. If accepted the GREEN LED
BLUE and Blinking GREEN.
3. Re-enter the Admin PIN and press the UNLOCK key. If accepted the GREEN
LED will be Solid for 3 seconds.
4. LED will then turn BLUE and remain in Admin mode for 30 seconds or if the
LOCK key is pressed, will return the drive to a standby state.
5. The Admin PIN is now set and will allow access to the drive or the Admin features.
6. To UNLOCK the drive, exit Admin by pressing the LOCK button. Then enter the
new PIN and press UNLOCK.
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Attention: Use only the included cables with your diskAshur PRO. You might damage the drive if you use a
cable not included with the diskAshur PRO.
diskAshur PRO is designed for portable use without an AC power adapter and in most cases will be able to power on a single
USB port. In the event that diskAshur PRO is unable to power on a single USB connection, use the included USB Y-cable.
The diskAshur PRO is not self-powered and requires connection to a USB port to perform all operations.
1. Attach the integrated USB cable of the diskAshur PRO drive to an available USB port
on your computer, as shown below.
Note: While diskAshur PRO will work with any USB port, for the
fastest speeds connect to a USB 3.0 port on your computer.
2. At least one of the diskAshur PRO LEDs should turn on, indicating that
it is receiving power.
Note: If none of the LED indicator lights turn on or the drive locks when writing to the disk,
use the included USB Y-cable.
Refer to directions on the following page.
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If none of the diskAshur PRO LED indicator lights power on a single USB connection, use the included USB Y-cable.
2. Connect the two male USB connectors to two available USB ports on
your computer.
3. At least one of the diskAshur PROs LED indicator lights should turn on, indicating that
the diskAshur PRO is powered.
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TM
1 SHIFT button
2 UNLOCK button
4 3 LOCK button
3
When you first plug in the FIPS diskAshur PRO drive, the unit will
do a self-test to verify all security components are working properly.
2 The LEDs will go through 3 test stages RED, GREEN, and BLUE.
1 This will be followed by three GREEN flashes on a successful test.
Any test failure will leave the unit in an interoperable state with the
PRO RED LED flashing.
1. Press UNLOCK + 9. The LED will change to Solid BLUE and Blinking GREEN.
2. Enter the new Admin PIN and press UNLOCK key. If accepted the GREEN LED
will flash for 3 short blinks, then return to Solid BLUE and Blinking GREEN.
3. Re-enter the Admin PIN and press the UNLOCK key. If accepted the GREEN
LED will be Solid for 3 seconds.
4. LED will then turn BLUE and remain in Admin mode for 30 seconds or if the
LOCK key is pressed, will return the drive to a standby state.
5. The Admin PIN is now set and will allow access to the drive or the Admin features.
6. To UNLOCK the drive, exit Admin by pressing the LOCK button. Then enter the
new PIN and press UNLOCK.
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If data is still being written to the drive, diskAshur PRO will wait until all data has been written to the drive and then it will
lock automatically.
Note: The diskAshur PRO cannot be recognized by the operating system in the standby state.
Enter either a User PIN or Admin PIN and press the UNLOCK button.
Note: The diskAshur PRO cannot be recognized by the operating system in the standby state.
7. Admin Mode
To enter the Admin Mode, do the following:
1. Attach the USB cable to an available USB port on your computer. The diskAshur PRO
goes into the Standby Mode after the self-check, and the LED turns RED.
2. Press and hold UNLOCK + 0 buttons for five seconds until the LED flashes RED.
This indicates that you can enter the Admin PIN.
3. Enter the Admin PIN and press the UNLOCK button.
4. The drive is in Admin Mode when the LED has changed to BLUE.
1. Enter Admin Mode (UNLOCK + 0 buttons for five seconds. Enter Admin PIN and press UNLOCK).
2. Press and hold UNLOCK + 9 buttons until the LED turns to Solid BLUE and Blinking GREEN.
3. Enter the new PIN and press UNLOCK (The PIN must be a minimum of 7 digits and a
maximum of 16 digits). The LED flashes GREEN three times, then returns to Solid BLUE
and Blinking GREEN.
4. Re-enter the new Admin PIN and press UNLOCK. The LED stays solid GREEN for
two seconds and then solid BLUE indicating that the Admin PIN has been changed
successfully.
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1. Enter the Admin Mode (UNLOCK + 0 buttons for five seconds. Enter Admin PIN and press UNLOCK).
2. Press and hold UNLOCK + 1 buttons until the LED turns to Solid BLUE and Blinking GREEN.
3. Enter a User PIN and press UNLOCK (a minimum of 7 digits and a maximum of 16 digits).
The LED flashes GREEN three times, then returns to Solid BLUE and Blinking GREEN.
4. Re-enter the new User PIN and press UNLOCK. If the LED stays solid GREEN for two
seconds and then solid BLUE, the User PIN was successfully added.
1. Enter the Admin Mode (UNLOCK + 0 buttons for five seconds. Enter Admin PIN and press UNLOCK).
2. Press and hold 7 + 8 + UNLOCK buttons for five seconds until the LED flashes GREEN three
times and then changes to BLUE / RED alternating.
3. Press and hold 7 + 8 + UNLOCK buttons a second time for five seconds until the LED goes on
solid GREEN for two seconds and then back to solid BLUE, this indicates that the User
PINs were deleted successfully.
1. Unlock the drive by inputting your User PIN and pressing the UNLOCK button.
2. Press and hold UNLOCK + 1 buttons until the LED flashes RED.
3. Enter your current PIN and press UNLOCK.
The LED will be Solid BLUE and Solid GREEN.
4. Enter the new PIN and press UNLOCK (The PIN must be a minimum of 7 digits and
iStorage diskAshur PRO Manual v 2.2
a maximum of 16 digits). The LED will flash GREEN three times, then returns to Solid
BLUE and Blinking GREEN.
5. Re-enter the new User PIN and press UNLOCK. The LED stays solid GREEN
indicating that the User PIN has been changed successfully.
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To protect against unauthorized access if the drive is unlocked and unattended, diskAshur PRO can be set to automatically
lock after a pre-set amount of time. In its default state, the diskAshur PRO Unattended Auto Lock feature is turned off. The
Unattended Auto Lock can be set to activate after 5, 10 or 20 minutes.
To set the Unattended Auto Lock please uses the following steps:
1. Enter the Admin mode by pressing and holding UNLOCK + 0 buttons for five seconds until the LED flashes
RED. This indicates that you can enter the Admin PIN.
2. Enter the Admin PIN and press UNLOCK. The drive is in Admin Mode when the LED has changed to solid
BLUE.
3. Once in Admin mode, press UNLOCK + 6 buttons. The LED should start flashing RED and BLUE
intermittently.
4. Press one of the numbers below that corresponds to amount of time you would like the drive to lock after
no activity:
1 = 5 minutes
2 = 10 minutes
3 = 20 minutes
0 = OFF
5. After you have input the number, the LED should flash GREEN 3 times to indicate that you have successfully
set the Unattended Auto Lock feature.
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A brute force attack is a method of defeating a cryptographic scheme by systematically trying a large number of possibilities;
for example, a large number of the possible keys in a key space in order to decrypt a message. In most schemes, the
theoretical possibility of a brute force attack is recognized, but it is set up in such a way that it would be computationally in-
feasible to carry out. Accordingly, one definition of breaking a cryptographic scheme is to find a method faster than a brute
force attack.
If the user, unsuccessfully tries to UNLOCK the drive on the 10th try the keypad will lock and the LED will begin blinking
RED quickly. Even after unplugging and re-plugging in the unit, the drive will remain locked and the LED will continue to
blink rapidly.
Here are the steps to allow the user to unlock the keypad for 10 more attempts to unlock this drive.
2. Push and hold the number five key and plug-in the drive
5. The keypad will unlock and will be in the standby state with the LED solid RED, this will
allow only 10 more attempts
6. After a total of 20 Attempts the drive will remain locked with the LED flashing RED
quickly. You must now go through the reset process and reformat the drive to be able
to use the drive again.
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2. Enter the Admin PIN and press UNLOCK. The drive is in Admin Mode when the LED
has changed to BLUE.
3. Once in Admin mode, press UNLOCK + 3 buttons. LED will be alternating BLUE / RED.
4. Input in the PIN that you would like to use as the Self Destruct PIN and press
UNLOCK.
6. Immediately re-enter the new PIN and press UNLOCK. If the LED stays solid
GREEN for two seconds and then goes to solid BLUE, the Self Destruct PIN was
added successfully.
7. To delete the Self Destruct PIN, you will need to delete all of the User PINs.
Disconnect and re-connect the drive, then refer to the instructions on the previous
page - Deleting User PINs.
The self-destruct feature allows you to set a PIN which can be used to perform a crypto-erase on the entire drive.
When used, the self-destruct PIN will delete ALL data, Admin/User PINs and then unlock the drive. Activating this
feature will cause the Self-Destruct PIN to become the new Admin PIN and the diskAshur PRO will need to be partitioned
and formatted before any new data can be added to the drive.
Once the Self-Destruct PIN is set, the feature can be activated by plugging the drive into a USB port, entering the
self-destruct PIN and then press the unlock button.
1. Press and hold the LOCK button while you attach the diskAshur PRO to an available
USB port on your computer. The LED will flash RED, GREEN and BLUE alternately.
3. Press and hold LOCK + UNLOCK + 2 buttons for 10 seconds until the LED turns Solid
GREEN for two seconds, followed by Solid BLUE and Solid GREEN. You have
successfully reset the diskAshur PRO.
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16. Initializing and formatting the diskAshur PRO after a complete reset
A complete reset of the diskAshur PRO will erase all information and partition settings. You will need to initialize and format
the diskAshur PRO.
9. In the Computer Manage window, click Disk Management. In the Disk Management window, the diskAshur PRO is
recognized as an unknown device that is uninitialized and unallocated.
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12. Right-click in the blank area under the Unallocated section, and then select New Simple Volume. The Welcome to
the New Simple Volume Wizard window opens.
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9. Click Next.
10. If you need only one partition, accept the default partition size and click Next.
11. Assign a drive letter or path and click Next.
12. Create a volume label, select Perform a quick format, and then click Next.
13. Click Finish.
14. Wait until the format process is complete. The diskAshur PRO will be recognized and it is available for use.
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It is recommended that you lock the diskAshur PRO manually before hibernating, suspending, or logging off from your
system.
To log off the diskAshur PRO, double-click Safely Remove Hardware on the Windows desktop and remove the diskAshur
PRO from your computer.
Attention: To ensure the data integrity of your diskAshur PRO, be sure to lock or log off
diskAshur PRO if you are:
Away from your computer.
Using the switching user function by sharing a computer with others.
Your diskAshur PRO is preformatted in NTFS for Windows. To reformat the drive to a Mac compatible format please read
below.
Once the drive is unlocked, open Disk Utility from Applications/Utilities/Disk Utilities.
1. Select diskAshur PRO from the list of drives and volumes. Each
drive in the list will display its capacity, manufacturer, and product
name, such as 232.9 diskAshur PRO.
3. Enter a name for the drive. The default name is Untitled. The drives
name will eventually appear on the desktop.
5. Click the Erase button. Disk Utility will unmount the volume from the
desktop, erase it, and then remount it on the desktop.
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19. Troubleshooting
This section contains troubleshooting information for the diskAshur PRO. If you encounter any of the following problems
when using diskAshur PRO, refer to the corresponding answers.
A: Use your Admin PIN to enter Admin Mode, and then create another User PIN in Admin Mode.
A: There is no other way to retrieve the Admin PIN except a complete reset of diskAshur PRO. After a complete reset, all data
will be lost and you will need to initialize, allocate and format the diskAshur PRO manually.
Q: Why did the operating system not recognize the diskAshur PRO after I enter the User Mode and com-
pletely reset the
computer?
A: You need to initialize, allocate and format the diskAshur PRO manually. For more information, refer to Initializing and
formatting the diskAshur PRO after a complete reset in this manual.
A: As a full disk encryption product, the diskAshur PRO can never be used without a PIN.
A: Ensure that you have administrator privileges. You will need Admin privileges to use the Disk Management Utility.
A: Somebody has tried to access the drive and the code has been entered 10 times incorrectly (see Brute Force section of
this manual).
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A: No, since the diskAshur PRO does not require any software to be installed and the encryption/decryption is performed in
Hardware on the drive itself, Admin Rights are not required.
Q: Why do the LEDs blink BLUE, RED and GREEN after I plug the drive in?
A: When you first plug the drive in, it does a self-test on the encryption components of the drive. If any
component fails the test, the LED will stop on RED and the drive will not function.
A: This is a government standard to accredit cryptographic modules. The government regulates certain
industries that collect, store and/or transfer sensitive data to use security that meets this standard. For a
general explanation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIPS_140-2
A: USB speed will be affected by a variety of factors (USB type 1, 2 or 3, Host controller, Driver version, hard drive
read/write speeds, Operating System). On average, if using a USB 3.0 port, speeds should be from 80+ MB/s for a newer
rotating drive and 250+ MB/s for a newer SSD version. If you are experiencing lower than expected speeds, check to
make sure you have the latest host controller driver available. If you are getting considerably less, make sure that you are
plugged into a USB 3 port. USB 3 ports use a blue center contact.
A: If an Admin PIN has been previously set, the Admin PIN can be used to unlock the drive and recover the data. If you forget
the PIN and do not have an Admin PIN, the drive can be re-set so it can be used again, but the data cannot be recovered.
iStorage diskAshur PRO Manual v 2.2
Q: Why does the LED indicate an error when I try to change the PIN?
A: PIN requirements for this drive must meet a minimum security level. There are several combinations that are not allowed,
such as, all repeating numbers, sequential number going up or down. The PIN must also be a minimum of 7 digits and
cannot be longer than 16 digits.
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Q: My diskAshur PRO locks for no reason when connected to my computer whilst Im using it, what is
causing this?
A: The issue you are having is being caused by power saving settings on your PC or Laptop so please see below and make
the appropriate changes to your computer and this will stop the diskAshur PRO from locking as when your computer is power
saving it switches off data to the USB ports and our products see that as `Disconnect` and are designed to lock when this is
detected.
Microsoft Windows
Doing the following will prevent Windows from switching off the diskAshur PRO, go to Control Panel & Power
Options , the easier option is to disable power saving which means stopping the computer from `Sleeping` see below;
This will keep the diskAshur PRO connected to the computer continuously on.
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Apple Mac
The diskAshur PRO keeps locking after 5-10 minutes on the Macs This will be due the Macs power saving as there is a
setting to switch off hard drives that are idle after a fix period of time see below;
The settings in Energy Saver preferences affect what happens when your Mac is left unattended for a period of time that you
specify. Disable `Put the hard disk(s) to sleep when possible` to prevent the diskAshur PRO going to sleep and so not
locking. You will also need to stop the computer from sleeping to prevent the diskAshur PRO from locking.
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Note For Windows 8.1 users; You will need to install a Windows update (KB2919355 ) as well as follow the steps on
pages 18 &19. Please go to this link and choose Method 2; http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2919355. Once the download
option appears select KB2919355 and then download and install.
Q: My diskAshur PRO locks when my computer sleeps/hibernates how can I stop this?
A: The only way to prevent this is by changing the power settings (Windows computers) of the computer so that it only
switches of the monitor on hibernation/sleep and keeps power to hard drives and USB. On Apple MAC computers going to
the power settings in `System Preferences` and clicking the do not suspend USB will keep the drive alive even if the MAC
goes into full hibernation.
A: This only happens when the computer the diskAshur PRO is connected to cannot provide enough power from the USB port
to power the drive. This issue only appears on much older computers and/or imbedded systems like USB enabled medical
equipment. It can be resolved by either trying all the USB ports on the computer or system as some ports can have less power
than others or failing that use the USB Y-Power cable supplied with the diskAshur PRO to ensure the correct power.
Q: I want to use my diskAshur PRO with different Operating Systems how can that be done?
A: To make the diskAshur PRO universally compatible with all the most common Operating Systems and embedded systems
like USB enabled medical equipment, requires the drive to be formatted using the FAT file system. This is done by using
`Disk Management` in Windows, `Disk Utility` on MAC OS/x or MKFS in Linux.
A: The Administrator feature allows enrollment of up to four (4) unique User IDs and one (1) Administrator. If a user forgets
their PIN, the diskAshur PRO can be unlocked using the Admin PIN.
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iStorages Website
http://www.istorage-uk.com
E-mail correspondence
[email protected]
Telephone support with our Technical Support Department on +44 (0) 20 8991-6260.
iStorages Technical Support Specialists are available from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
GMT - Monday through Friday.
iStorage offers a 2-year warranty on the iStorage diskAshur PRO against defects in materials and workmanship under
normal use. The warranty period is effective from the date of purchase either directly from iStorage or an authorised reseller.
THE WARRANTY BECOMES EFFECTIVE ON THE DATE OF PURCHASE AND MUST BE VERIFIED WITH YOUR SALES RECEIPT OR INVOICE DISPLAYING THE DATE OF PRODUCT
PURCHASE.
ISTORAGE WILL, AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE, REPAIR OR REPLACE DEFECTIVE PARTS WITH NEW PARTS OR SERVICEABLE USED PARTS THAT ARE EQUIVALENT TO NEW IN
iStorage diskAshur PRO Manual v 2.2
PERFORMANCE. ALL EXCHANGED PARTS AND PRODUCTS REPLACED UNDER THIS WARRANTY WILL BECOME THE PROPERTY OF ISTORAGE.
THIS WARRANTY DOES NOT EXTEND TO ANY PRODUCT NOT PURCHASED DIRECTLY FROM ISTORAGE OR AN AUTHORIzED RESELLER OR TO ANY PRODUCT THAT HAS BEEN
DAMAGED OR RENDERED DEFECTIVE: 1. AS A RESULT OF ACCIDENT, MISUSE, NEGLECT, ABUSE OR FAILURE AND/OR INABILITY TO FOLLOW THE WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS
PROVIDED IN THIS INSTRUCTION GUIDE: 2. BY THE USE OF PARTS NOT MANUFACTURED OR SOLD BY ISTORAGE; 3. BY MODIFICATION OF THE PRODUCT; OR 4. AS A RESULT
OF SERVICE, ALTERNATION OR REPAIR BY ANYONE OTHER THAN ISTORAGE AND SHALL BE VOID. THIS WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.
NO OTHER WARRANTY, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OR MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, HAS BEEN OR WILL BE
MADE BY OR ON BEHALF OF ISTORAGE OR BY OPERATION OF LAW WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT OR ITS INSTALLATION, USE, OPERATION, REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR.
ISTORAGE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE BY VIRTUE OF THIS WARRANTY, OR OTHERWISE, FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGE INCLUDING ANY LOSS OF
DATA RESULTING FROM THE USE OR OPERATION OF THE PRODUCT, WHETHER OR NOT ISTORAGE WAS APPRISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
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