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In three unrelated data breaches, the social security numbers of 30,000 people may have been compromised. Apparently, the sensitive data, which was stored in unprotected computers, was stolen just before the Christmas holidays.

The university is investigating ways to make their stored data safer. Hopefully, these changes will include encrypting files and folders stored on university-owned computers.

Link to source.

More and more, cities and towns across the country are holding “shredding it” days where residents can bring boxes of old records and files to be professionally shredded at little or no cost. This is a great service and an important one, since “dumpster diving” is a popular way for identity thieves to get a hold of our credit card, social security or bank account numbers and create all kinds of potential problems for us.

As we all know, identity theft is a growing problem. According to a study by Javelin Strategy & Research Center, there were nearly 10 million victims of identity theft in 2008, a 22% increase from the previous year. Also, the study points out that stolen wallets and physical documents accounted for 43% of all identity theft.

While shredding paper files is a good habit for all of us to get into, all too often we overlook another source of sensitive files and personally identifiable information: our computers. Most people aren’t aware that Windows does not actually remove a file when we click Delete, nor are files really erased when we “empty” the Recycle Bin. Instead, Windows simply removes any reference to the file, making it invisible to us in Windows Explorer. In fact, there are a number of software programs on the market that will help you restore your deleted files.

So, if Windows doesn’t really delete your files, and software is available that lets anyone restore the files, how can you keep your sensitive files from falling into the wrong hands? Well, our SensiGuard file encryption software has a nifty feature called the File Shredder. Just like every other part of SensiGuard, the file shredder is super easy to use: just click any file, anywhere on your PC or flash drive and click Shred. The software will encrypt, then overwrite the files several times, permanently deleting it so it can never be recovered.

Here’s a quick video to show you how easy it is to shred files with SensiGuard.

A recent study suggests that high profile data breaches have served to increase the importance of IT security to the public. According to Ian Kilpatrick, chairman of Wick Hill, “The use of encryption will grow as it provides a low-cost way of protecting data wherever it is located, both static and mobile”. In a related poll by the National Fraud Authority found that 97 per cent of workers lack confidence in their organization’s ability to safeguard sensitive data. Read the full story.

Increasing public concern for data security is a good thing. We like to think our Sensiguard encryption program is just one tool in the larger battle to protect private data.

Another example of sensitive, personal data kept on a laptop stolen from a car. This time, a Blue Cross employee in Chicago “broke protocol” and transferred physician’s social security numbers and other information onto their personal laptop, which was then stolen.

We hate to sound like a broken record, but the need to protect personal information with encryption using software like SensiGuard just becomes clearer every day.

Link to source

Computer Weekly published an excellent article on the data security risks we all face when traveling abroad. While we of course recommend our own SensiGuard encryption software for laptops, the article presents a thorough review of the steps you can take to protect yourself.

Source link

Perhaps the most striking fact about a recent revelation by the British Ministry of Defense that hundreds of laptop computers, flash drives and memory sticks—some containing secret information—were stolen between 2004 and 2007 is the realization that the news is not surprising at all, in the view of many IT security experts.

In fact, removable media theft such as this has become commonplace and now outstrip viruses and malware as the leading computer security threats, in the eyes of IT managers, one report showed. And just a short list of recent breaches seems to bear out that claim. In one recent incident, the personal information about 23 students at a Kansas college may have been compromised when a laptop was stolen from an auditor’s parked car. Yet another institution faced the same problem, but this time affecting 15,000 people, when a flash drive was stolen from a contractor as he was vacationing at a resort. Even more frightening, perhaps, was the theft of another government computer in Great Britain when an official left it on a train—in that case, it contained counter-terrorism files. And in an embarrassment for the U.S. government that echoed the British data theft in at least one sense, a soldier in Iraq lost a flash drive that contained personal videos. When the videos fell into enemy hands, they were edited into falsified propaganda and aired on television.

Back in the U.K., the Defense Ministry, for one, is taking such advice seriously after completing what turned out to be an embarrassing and politically-charged tally for often critical Members of Parliament. During the four-year period, they were forced to admit, 658 laptops were stolen and another 89 units were lost. Of those, just 32 were ever recovered.

This is the latest in a series of data loss incidents:

• November 2007 – Revenue and Customs officials lost the personal details of 25 million people
• June 2008 – A computer was stolen from the office of Communities Secretary Hazel Blears and files on counter-terrorism were left on a train
• January 2008 – The MoD revealed that one of its laptops – containing the details of 600,000 people – was stolen from a car

In each case, security experts say, the lost information should have been safeguarded to ensure that even if the devices were stolen the data could not be. While encryption has historically been complex and costly, we’re proud that SensiGuard has turned securing information into an affordable one-click function for any computer user.

The latest version of SensiGuard folder encryption software – version 3.1 – is now available. Updates include:

1. A new Password strength meter that gives you a visual indication of just how strong your password really is. You’ll see the meter when you change your password or when you first install SensiGuard
2. Improved folder encryption. We made some enhancements to how SensiGuard handles folders – especially those containing a large number of files
3. Some color scheme changes in the user interface
4. Improved Windows Vista and Windows 7 compatibility

The setup file for the new version can be downloaded by clicking this link. Once saved, double-click the setup file to install. If you already have a licensed copy installed, the system will recognize that you are a licensed customer and will automatically update your version – no additional action is required.

Please leave us some feedback on this new version.

We’re a little late to the party, but we’ve finally begun posting on Twitter. In addition to this blog, our feedback tool and customer review site, Twitter is an excellent way for us to keep up with our customers and to let you know what we’re working on. So, stop by and say hi @sensiguard!

As the Internet has become more crowded, cluttered with junk websites selling junk products, user reviews have become the most effective way for website visitors to gain trust about a company and it’s products. Here’s an interesting chart from eMarketer.com showing just how important user reviews have become. As you can see, the vast majority of online buys rely on reviews before making a purchase.

In the spirit of building trust with our website visitors considering purchasing our SensiGuard folder encryption software,  we’re introducing a new user review tool called UserTrust. Developed by the folks at Comodo (a leading provider of digital certificates and other trust-building products), UserTrust enables our customers to post detailed reviews of SensiGuard, which can be read by visitors to the site. Companies like us that want to display the UserTrust seal must be approved as an authentic vendor by Comodo, since it’s in their interest as the provider of the service to make sure that a website is “trust-worthy”. So, the very presence of the UserTrust seal itself speaks volumes about our site.

Look for the seal in the bottom-right corner of every page on the SensiGuard website. Read what others have to say – or better yet, add your own review. Give it a try!

Tucows is a pioneer in the world of shareware and freeware download directories. First launched in 1993 as the The Ultimate Collection of Winsock Software, Tucows remains one of the leading sites on the Internet. So, there was a great deal of excitement around here when we learned that Tucows awarded SensiGuard it’s highest rating – 5 Cows!

The review process Tucows uses is farily extensive, focusing on several key areas:

• Installation
• User interface
• Features
• Learning curve and accessibility
• Competitive comparison
• Uninstall process
• Documentation and help
• Customer support
• File size, home page quality and other misc. criteria

Follow this link to read more about Tucows’ rating system.

We received a detailed scorecard of how SensiGuard performed in every category. The Tucows reviewer also contacted us through our support channels to check on the quality of our service.

Overall, it was a very thorough review of our product – one that should give anyone considering purchasing SensiGuard confidence that it is indeed a quality product that has been judged by the best in the business.

Thank you Tucows!

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