Moving forward in IT with strong, mobile data protection

The demands of the business community are evermore at the core of product development and delivery. In light of the proliferation of losses of data across various business sectors, cutting edge technology has been unveiled which provides a real solution in the efforts to quash the current threats to our data security.

Identity and related data theft crime are widely recognised to be among some of the most rapidly growing and important problems facing the business community; a nd the upward trend of Professionals working from mobile platforms, whether in the work place or ‘on the road’, is exacerbating the current challenge of keeping often sensitive and business critical information secure.

Evidence is abundant, following a series of data security disasters over the last year, for the requirement of tough information protection and security measures – particularly on laptops. In fact, regulatory requirements strongly necessitate high levels of information protection, and companies must comply, or face the consequences in the form of penalties and/or having information at risk.

Examined closely, through both loss and theft, a staggering amount of notebooks went missing last year, from not only the private sector but also the Public Sector. Recently the Ministry of Defence promised to increase data security following a spate of thefts whereby personal records of over half a million potential recruits were lost on an unencrypted laptop, after being stolen from a car. More worrying, the tally of Public Sector laptop losses since 2001 has been revealed to exceed 1000.

And it is not just the public sector that have faced such debacles, banks and more recently a tabloid newspaper faced data security breaches when a laptop containing sensitive employee data including personal records and bank account information was lost.

How NEC have been working with Seagate to improve data security

Hard drive storage industry leaders Seagate Technology® have developed the cutting edge Seagate® Momentus® 5400 FDE.2 hard drive, a hard drive with embedded full disk encryption (FDE), which is currently available on the NEC Versa range. Seagate FDE is an advanced process whereby the hard drive automatically encrypts all data as it is written and decrypts it as the system needs the information to be delivered. The encryption key never leaves the drive and with the encryption being performed in the hardware, it is very fast; in fact, as fast as the drive is.

In addition to this layer of security for data residing on the drive, Wave Systems Trusted Drive Manager software allows client management of the drive for user authentication that takes place outside of the BIOS and operating system. The information is fully protected until an authorised user has presented valid credentials. As a result, organisations can set their data free instead of hindering it because the security needed is inherently designed into the disk drive. Seagate FDE solution delivers encryption technology that is non-intrusive security which protects individuals against data theft and loss. Consequently, there is no longer the need to allocate costly resources to manage complicated security systems which hide, restrict and intrude on everyday business flow.

“Users understand the need for security but they don’t like the intrusion on fluidity and access to data. With the NEC Versa and Seagate Secure solution, security is transparent, yet strong ”, Tom Major, VP Marketing Seagate Personal Computer Business Unit.

By protecting data where it resides, without imposing any modifications to the operating system, applications or information, the Versa range with Seagate FDE can meet critical information security needs for organisations.

Hardware encryption – the preferred option, when compared with a Software-Based Solution

Seagate’s advances in hardware encryption technology are hugely beneficial in that perhaps first and foremost: critical applications such as the generation and storing of sensitive passwords, encryption keys and authentification, occurs within, and never leaves, the hard drive. Therefore compared to software based encryption – the open environment of the main processor and operating system is never utilised for encryption, meaning that malware observation or coping of the main encryption keys cannot take place. This option is also the preferred method as it avoids processor time being taken up encrypting and decrypting data. Current software encryption uses the system processor and memory, slowing both performance and user productivity.

“Everybody recognises encryption as being an important security enabler, but so far there has been a significant performance hit”, said NEC’s UK Product Marketing Manager, David Newbould, “hardware full disk encryption is the future”, he added, “because it addresses all of the prohibiting factors of current generation solutions”.

In the IT environment both strategically and practically, the Versa range with Seagate® Momentus® 5400 FDE.2 hard drives offers heightened security and a prudent investment. Perhaps more practically, this solution will ultimately free users from the traditional desk environment and allow secure access to data anytime and anywhere. The security of sensitive data and business critical information is undoubtedly a crucial issue in the financial services and the deployment of an advanced IT Infrastructure will undoubtedly be important in order to facilitate the right move forward.

About NEC Computers

A subsidiary of the Japanese NEC Corporation, NEC Computers offers a complete range of IT infrastructure solutions (servers, storage, software) and client workstations (desktop and notebook computers, thin clients, virtual PCs), as well as a wide range of professional services.

With its virtualisation (VPCC) and protection (Fault Tolerant Server) solutions, NEC Computers guarantees companies IT infrastructure continuity of service in all circumstances.

NEC Computers’ international distribution network meets the needs of professional markets in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. Its industrial and technological site at Angers in France is unique in Europe, designing and implementing customised solutions for the public and private sectors.

The Japanese group NEC is a world leader in IT, networks and electronic components, with a turnover of 39 billion dollars (figures as at 31.3.2007). It employs more than 150,000 people worldwide and dedicates over 6.5% of its turnover to Research & Development.

www.nec-computers.co.uk

References:

Savvas, A; (2008) ComputerWeekly.Com, http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2008/06/25/231226/mod-promises-to-improve-data-security-after-spate-of-laptop.htm 16/07/08

Young, T; (2008) “Governments Lap Top Tally Exceeds 1000” Computing, http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2213486/berr-adds-lost-laptop-tally 16/07/08

Angelica, M; (2008) “Daily Mail Loses Staff Information on laptop” Computing, http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2221004/daily-mail-loses-staff

16/07/08