authorities seize an illicit hard drive manufacturing operation led by Seagate, uncovering evidence through read-access to criminal data while suspects unintentionally disclose information

In a recent development, Seagate Technology, a leading manufacturer of data storage solutions, has taken action against a counterfeit hard drive operation in Malaysia. The raid, conducted in May in conjunction with local authorities, uncovered approximately 700 counterfeit Seagate hard drives, as well as products from Kioxia and Western Digital.

The counterfeit hard drives, initially limited to German-speaking countries, have now been reported in Australia and the United States, expanding the scope of the issue. The hard drives, which reached capacities of up to 18TB, were found to have SMART values that had been reset to facilitate their sale as new.

Seagate has taken several measures to combat this issue. They have implemented a Global Trade Screening (GTS) process to identify and exclude potentially suspicious suppliers. Additionally, they have enhanced their partner program, requiring partners to purchase and resell Seagate hard drives exclusively from authorized Seagate distributors.

The bust may represent only the tip of the iceberg, as at least one million of these counterfeit hard drives, marketed on Shopee and Lazada at exceptionally low prices, are estimated to be circulating. Consumers are advised to exercise extra caution when purchasing a hard drive from non-major retailers or third-party sellers, as Kioxia and Western Digital hard drives may also be susceptible to fraud.

The workshop, which employed six workers, was responsible for resetting the hard drives' SMART values, cleaning, relabeling, and repackaging them for distribution and sale. The operation came to light when an unidentified Malaysian sales manager flagged the hard drives and alerted Seagate's security department.

While the raid has provided valuable insights, it remains unclear who distributes counterfeit Seagate hard drives in Australia and the USA, or how consumers can identify them. Seagate encourages anyone who suspects they may have purchased a counterfeit hard drive to contact their local law enforcement agency.

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, it is possible that some of the counterfeit hard drives made it to the U.S. market due to global connections. This incident serves as a reminder for consumers and businesses alike to be vigilant when it comes to data storage solutions, ensuring they are purchasing from authorized sources to protect their valuable data.