Dell Data Protection/Encryption uses file-level encryption to protect data on laptops, desktops, and external media, such as USB drives, eSATA and Firewire drives, optical storage, and SD cards.
Dell announced its Dell Data Protection/Encryption
software to protect the data on endpoint devices against data breaches, the
company said Nov. 17.
Designed to simplify endpoint encryption, Data Protection/Encryption
protects data on laptops, desktops and external media, in case of loss
or
theft, said Dell. The software will be installed on Dell Latitude
notebooks,
Dell OptiPlex desktops and Dell Precision mobile and desktop
workstations from
the factory "in the coming weeks," according to David Konetski from the
office of the CTO, Dell Business Client. He declined to provide eWEEK
with a
specific date.
The software uses file-level encryption to secure the
device against data breaches. Instead of just encrypting the partition at once,
or every single file automatically, Data Protection/Encryption encrypts only
files that meet the administrator-defined criteria. The options can be based on
the end-user profile, data sensitivity, and the organization's compliance
needs, Dell said.
The software was co-developed by Dell with mobile
security company Credant Technologies, said Konetski. With Credant's
Cryptography Algorithm at the base, Dell developers added "an enhanced user
interface, single management console and pre-set compliance templates," he said.
Konetski called Data Protection/Encryption a "foundational"
product and additional security functionality specific to Dell are planned for
future releases.
"Public exposure of private and highly sensitive
data continues to occur in organizations both large and small," said Eric
Ouellet, vice president, Secure Business Enablement, Gartner. "Managed
endpoint encryption solutions that are flexible and adaptable to the demands of
mobile users help minimize risks and are an important part of best practice
frameworks."
The cost of data breaches is increasing in both the
private and public sector, according to a report by the Ponemon
Institute earlier this year. The organizational cost of a data breach in
the United States can be up to $6.75 million per incident, said Dell.
A Global
Fraud Report issued in October found that electronic and information theft
accounted for 27.3 percent of fraud-related losses, with businesses losing
almost $1.7 million per billion dollars in sales worldwide.
Since Data Protection/Encryption is currently available
for Microsoft Windows systems only, supporting Windows XP, Vista, and Windows
7, Dell is offering an optional "integration" with Credant to secure and
encrypt other platforms such as select smartphones and non-Windows operating
systems. The optional Credant offering
extends the protection to include Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Symbian
smartphones, Palm OS devices, and iPhones, according to Credant.
IT managers have access to Data Protection/Encryption's
centralized management tools to detect endpoint devices within the organization
that need encryption and to enforce encryption policies. The reporting tools
let managers see that endpoints are protected regardless of user, device, or
location. The reports can be used for audit purposes to meet regulatory
compliance requirements such as for HIPAA and PCI DSS, said Dell.
The encryption application comes with preset policy
templates that let managers define encryption rules for portable USB drives,
internal and external drives including eSATA, 1394, and USB, optical drives
such as CDs, and Secure Digital cards, said Dell.
There are some restrictions in order to encrypt data on
optical storage such as CDs, said Dell. For Windows XP systems, Data Protection/Encryption
requires additional software, Nero InCD. Vista systems require Vista Live File
System to be activated and Windows 7 need native burning mode support.
Dell Data Protection/Encryption is also available through
volume licensing, Dell said. The optional integration with Credant Technologies
for non-Windows systems are also available through Dell, according to Konetski.
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