Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Applications
    • Applications
    • Cybersecurity
    • Networking

    Identity Finder Locates, Quarantines Sensitive Documents to Prevent ID Theft

    Written by

    Fahmida Y. Rashid
    Published February 14, 2011
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      While storage costs continue to decline and storage capacities grow exponentially, companies can store every scrap of data created and received. There is a downside, as data volumes expand and spiral out of control to the point where there is no way to know what data is exposed and vulnerable.

      Identity Finder announced the latest version of its data-protection software on Feb. 14 at the RSA Conference in San Francisco. Identity Finder reduces the risk of data leakage and identity theft by locating and securing information, regardless of file type and where it is located on the network, Todd Feinman, CEO of Identity Finder, told eWEEK. In version 5.0, Identity Finder added remote remediation capabilities for administrators to take action on users’ computers from a centralized console.

      Identity Finder searches for all files containing sensitive data, which is defined by the IT manager, on file and e-mail servers, network databases, company Websites and hard drives, he said. Once found, the software prompts the user to digitally shred, redact, encrypt or quarantine the information according to corporate policy, he said. “It’s unbelievable how much information we’ve forgotten is on our computers,” Feinman said.

      Considering the amount of new data being stored every day and the amount of legacy data being archived, it’s “an insurmountable task” for IT administrators to know exactly where Social Security numbers, birth dates, credit card numbers and other personal identifying information or confidential data are stored, said Feinman. With Identity Finder, administrators can locate all instances of these types of information and ensure they are either removed or protected, he said. Quarantining a file means moving it to a “safe” location, such as an encrypted file system, according to Feinman.

      Protecting employees and customers has an actual dollar cost. Hackers and identity thieves employ increasingly sophisticated methods to gain access to private information for personal gain, said Feinman. The Identity Theft Resource Center recorded a nearly 33 percent increase in data breaches from 2009 to 2010. An average data breach can cost a health care organization approximately $6.6 million, or $200 per breached record, according to a recent Ponemon Institute survey.

      “It’s unbelievable how many places hackers can find information,” Feinman said, noting that there are often several copies of a single document scattered throughout the enterprise. For example, a document with a Social Security number may be on a user’s hard drive, in the “sent” folder on the e-mail server, in the recipient’s e-mail inbox and on the recipient’s hard drive. And that’s assuming the recipient hadn’t forwarded the information to anyone else, he said.

      About 70 percent of the installed user base uses the Identity Finder client while administrator usage generally makes up about 5 percent, Feinman said. Even so, both the client and console has been fully updated, he said.

      The client is now more accurate, employing advanced search algorithms to reduce false positives, performs better, with multi-core processing enabling concurrent analysis, and can search deeper, said Identity Finder. The search capability can locate and shred Windows shadow files and previous versions, the company said. The client is now compatible with Lotus Notes, SharePoint and Exchange Server, according to Identity Finder.

      The DLP Console has been fully revamped with a more intuitive interface to increase usability and customization, Feinman said. More importantly, the remote remediation capabilities allow IT administrators to remotely perform security actions on the user’s computer, he said.

      If the software found violations, such as credit card numbers, on the user’s hard drive, the user would be prompted and reminded to secure that data. If the user doesn’t take action, the administrator can proactively step in and take care of it from the console, according to Feinman. The administrator can also bypass the end-user to scan and secure the data remotely. They can also analyze data in real time using the data filters, he said.

      Identity Finder will be generally available in early March and pricing will remain the same with Desktop licenses starting at $19.95 each and site licenses starting at $5,000, Feinman said. Existing users will be able to use the new auto-update feature being rolled out to update to the new version.

      Feinman told about an instance when the software found nothing on a system. It turned out the person had run the software on a brand-new computer, he said.

      Fahmida Y. Rashid
      Fahmida Y. Rashid

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×