SCOTTS VALLEY, CA — Seagate has begun shipping “self-encrypting” hard drives for use in portable computers, apparently having decided the general public’s reluctance to employ aftermarket software solutions is not in society’s best interests.Seagate’s new Momentus FDE drives, which run at speeds of 5,400 and 7.200 rpm and are available in sizes up to 320 GB, became available to laptop and notebook manufacturers November 10th. A 500 GB model is expected soon.

All of the hard drives are designed to protect data from loss or destruction in case the computer is lost, stolen or confiscated by Customs agents at the border. Although Customs seizures are growing in concern among travelers, annual statistics compiled by the FBI’s Computer Crimes Division indicate theft is a clearer and more present danger: A portable computer was stolen every 53 seconds in 2007. Recent high-profile thefts included the disappearance from a Charlottesville, VA, polling precinct of a laptop containing voter-registration information and the heist of a laptop containing patient data from the car of a Baylor Health Care System employee.

Momentus FDE drives also are available to consumers who wish to replace their current data storage with what Seagate claims is a more secure option. The hard drives employ 128-bit AES encryption that is activated the first time a user logs into the system and enters a BIOS password.

Dell already has begun shipping machines with self-encrypting hard drives based on the application of 256-bit McAfee software encryption at the hardware level.