Archive for the 'Security' Category
Soteria Systems, LLC announces its breakthrough mobile personal security system, FORSSE ™ (pronounced FORCE), is now available to Android users. By subscribing to the FORSSE service, users have the peace of mind knowing that the FORSSE team is there to quickly respond to potentially harmful situations 24/7 anywhere a FORSSE subscriber has cellular coverage. Subscribers can launch the Market from their mobile phone to search for and download the FORSSE app.
FORSSE is a complete on-call, personal security system, providing its subscribers the ability to instantaneously notify a response team of a threat or crisis by simply pushing a button on the Android. Unlike other mobile personal safety applications that merely notify a user’s selected contacts through email or text message, a FORSSE alert is handled by an experienced and well-trained monitoring team that is on call 24/7 to coordinate the resolution of the crisis by notifying the nearest and most appropriate emergency response team.
Upon activation of an alert, the FORSSE team is able to review critical information concerning the subscriber and the incident, including continuous GPS location information of the subscriber, audio recordings of the incident to validate the crisis, and a complete personal profile created by the subscriber during registration. Using this information, the FORSSE team is able to quickly and efficiently notify the best-suited and nearest emergency response team to respond and resolve a crisis or potential threat.
FORSSE is kicking off a nationwide campaign with a fall tour to a diverse group of colleges and universities to generate awareness of the FORSSE service and promote the safety and well-being of others. At no cost to the school, colleges and universities choosing to participate are able to monitor and respond to any alert triggered on campus grounds. FORSSE improves the peace of mind of both students and parents while their loved ones are away from home. The FORSSE service is not just for students, but provides an ideal solution for all who have concerns about their personal safety.
Soteria Systems has completed the FORSSE application for the iPhone and it is currently in the review process for the iTunes store. A version for Blackberry smartphones will be available later this year.
From CTIA Enterprise & Applications™ 2010, Verizon Wireless, the company with the nation’s largest and most reliable wireless 3G network, and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today unveiled DROID PRO, a new, powerful, stronger and faster solution designed to meet both business and personal needs. The first Android™-based smartphone optimized for business use, DROID PRO is also a global-ready Android smartphone from Verizon Wireless, allowing customers to enjoy wireless voice service in more than 220 countries and data coverage in more than 200 countries.
DROID PRO meets employers’ and employees’ needs by addressing the productivity tools businesses require, including corporate connectivity and security; full push corporate e-mail with corporate level security; unified calendar with additional work features; pre-loaded Quickoffice Mobile Suite, a powerful 1 GHz processor; 4 GB of memory (2 GB internal; and 2 GB removable) and a QWERTY keyboard designed for speed and convenience.
“DROID PRO combines the feature-packed, high-level user experience that customers look for in an Android smartphone plus the security that enterprises require, all with the reliability of Verizon Wireless’ 3G network,” said Mike Lanman, president – Enterprise and Government Markets for Verizon Wireless. “DROID PRO builds on our commitment to deliver the best Android experience to the marketplace as well as to our enterprise customers.”
“The DROID PRO is an advanced business-ready solution that provides users with the full smartphone experience, redefined by delivering the power of a DROID,” said Sanjay Jha, chief executive officer of Motorola Mobility. “The DROID PRO consolidates users’ work and personal needs. This is just another reason the DROID PRO is setting a new standard for enterprise, allowing users to enjoy all the benefits of a smartphone with full push delivery of corporate e-mail and corporate level security.”
Key features and specifications:
· Support for both Exchange e-mail and Gmail™ for business
· Corporate directory look-up, unified calendar for Enterprise and sync with Google Calendar™
· PC-like browsing with Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 on a full, multi-touch, 3.1-inch brilliant display built on Android 2.2
· View, edit and share documents, including Microsoft Excel® spreadsheets, PowerPoint® presentations and Word® documents
· Built-in security features, including AuthenTec IPSec multi-headed VPN integration, remote wipe of device and SD card, and complex password support. Device and SD card encryption will be available in early 2011
· 3G Mobile HotSpot capabilities – Allows customers to connect up to five other Wi-Fi®-enabled devices and laptops
· Live widgets that stream e-mail messages to the home screen; customers can filter the widgets to separate work and home e-mail
· 5-megapixel camera with auto focus and dual LED flash as well as DVD-quality video
· 3G diversity antennae provides customers with enhanced data speeds and range
· Wi-Fi®-enabled DNLA® connectivity
· Android Market™ – Provides customers with access to more than 80,000 applications
· My Verizon and Backup AssistantSM support – Allows customers to manage their wireless accounts or their contacts from their phones
Pricing and availability:
· DROID PRO will be available at www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores in the coming weeks. Pricing will be announced closer to launch.
· For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.
Sanus®, the leading global brand of audio/video mounts, furnishings and consumer electronics accessories, announces a home accessory product designed to minimize the chance of flat-panel TVs and furniture tipping over due to accidental bumping or nudging.
The Sanus Elements™ ELM701 Anti-Tip Strap features a durable, shock-resistant, polypropylene strap that provides a secure four-point connection. It connects twice to the back of the TV, once to the back of furniture and once to the wall.
A 2009 study by Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, reported nearly 17,000 children were admitted to emergency rooms in 2007 (the last year complete figures were available) when furniture or TVs had fallen on them, a 41 percent increase since 1990. The study attributed the increase to the popularity of large flat-panel TVs with consumers and unstable furniture. None of the TVs or furniture they were placed on were properly secured.
“The low-profile design of today’s flat-panel TVs and furniture makes them prone to tipping, so even the slightest bump could cause them to fall,” said Jason Schmidt, product manager for Sanus. “Our ELM701 Anti-Tip Strap reduces this risk by providing a secure connection of the television to furniture and the furniture to the wall.”
The Sanus Elements™ ELM701 Anti-Tip Strap’s universal design works with nearly all furniture and flat-panel TVs up to 60″. All hardware is included.
The strap is currently available for a list price of $24.99.
Videx announces the CyberKey Vault ‘Single’ Electronic Key Cabinet that offers a cost-effective way to have access and key control exactly where it’s needed. One electronic key can be docked in the Vault. An RFID card must be presented to open the Vault and request the electronic key. The key that is released contains access permissions specific only to that person so they can do their job: what locks they may open and when.
The electronic key can be shared by any number of employees, shift-to-shift. Management can issue one RFID card to each authorized employee. The Vault recognizes what access permissions are to be programmed into the key by the person’s RFID card. When the key is returned to the Vault, the administrator receives feedback of when the electronic key was released, what locks the key opened, and email notification if someone forgets to return the key.
Mechanical keys can be attached to the electronic key for safekeeping and use. The electronic key can be used to open electronic locks and the mechanical keys used to open mechanical locks at a facility. By extension, a company not only has control over who uses their mechanical keys but the Vault reports when and to whom the mechanical keys were released and later returned to the Vault.
The Vault keeps management informed through the audit reports and alerts that are automatically sent to them. At the end of the work day, when the employee returns their electronic key to the Vault, an audit report of their entire key activity, lock openings, including exceptions such as unauthorized attempts to enter is automatically sent to management. As soon as the Vault reports back to management, the key’s memory is cleared. It remains in an un-programmed state until another authorized employee presents the required RFID card.
Videx announces CyberKey Vault 20, a smart key cabinet that offers a whole new level of accountability and key control. Unlike other key cabinets, electronic keys that are stored in the Vault contain no permissions to open any locks in a facility. When an employee needs a key, their RFID card or PIN must be entered to open the Vault and request a key to be programmed and released. The key that is released contains the access permissions specific only to that person so they can do their job: what locks they may open and when.
The Vault keeps management informed through the audit reports and alerts that are automatically sent to them. At the end of the work day, when the employee returns their electronic key to the Vault, an audit report of their entire key activity, lock openings, and exceptions such as unauthorized attempts to enter is automatically sent to management. As soon as the Vault reports back to management, the key’s memory is cleared. It remains in an un-programmed state until another authorized employee presents the required RFID card or PIN identification.
The economics of the CyberKey Vault are very attractive. Inexpensive RFID cards are used to access the Vault and the electronic key. An electronic key can be shared by any number of employees, shift-to-shift. This sharing of keys and dispensing them automatically is an efficient, cost-saving way to manage a company’s resources while at the same time increasing security. In addition, a ring of mechanical keys can be attached to an electronic key for safekeeping in the Vault.
CyberKey Vault communicates with CyberLock access management software. The Vault installs in any location that has a network connection so a key can be quickly updated with an individual’s access schedule. A company can manage their electronic keys and access to locks at multiple on- and off-site locations from one central office.
We probably all wished we had tougher USB keys as many easily break just from taking a journey in ones pocket mixed with keys from the key ring let alone dropping it on the driveway and you run over it with your car. LaCie will handle all that plus other extremes like boiling it in water, pounding it with a hammer, or dropping it from the roof of your home. The LaCie XtremKey comes in an industrial-strength cylinder shell that packs up to 64GB of storage.
“The XtremKey offers extreme durability and capacity in a convenient, well-protected and fun form factor,” said Alexis Kobassian, Product Manager, LaCie. “Despite the robust, industrial-strength protection we’ve added, it’s still a LaCie key that brings ease-of-use and reliability to customers looking to keep their data secure while on the go.”
The XtremKey is watertight up to 100 meters, withstands 5 meter drops, can take heat up +200°C and a chill as low as -50°C, and lastly the weight of a 10-ton truck. Not bad for a 3-inch tall USB flash drive that works on both PC and Macs with write speeds up to 30 Mb/s and reads at 40 Mb/s.
For the full-effect, take a look at the amazing video.
SplashData, Inc. today announces a completely new version of SplashID Enterprise, offering IT managers powerful controls for the centralized administration of password and security policies on all Windows and Mac desktop computers across multiple departments and employee groups.
SplashID Enterprise is designed to quickly and effectively address the most immediate password management concerns of IT, enabling an organization to use stronger password management practices without compromising security or increasing costs. SplashID safely and securely stores all kinds of personal identification information, including usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, calling card numbers, bank account data, PINs, medical insurance information, and more.
The major features of SplashID Enterprise include:
· Cross-platform Windows and Mac end-user support
· Support of MySQL server on Windows, Mac, or Linux
· Centralized secure database of usernames, passwords, documents, and other records
· Administrative control panel for IT with user management
· Customizable group-level and user-level permissions
· Customizable deployment architecture
· Multi-layer database security
A major and costly threat to passwords stored on company databases is lack of policy compliance by employees. The frustration and inconvenience of remembering multiple passwords can lead employees to compromise prudent standards. SplashID Enterprise was designed to make managing and accessing passwords easier and more convenient, resulting in a higher level of policy compliance by employees. SplashID will decrease forgotten password requests, ridding IT of unnecessary distractions and allowing focus on projects that create real value.
Another advantage to SplashID Enterprise is lower potential costs of security threats. The costs of data breaches are astronomical, potentially costing millions of dollars per incident. By implementing SplashID, any organization can significantly reduce the risk of information stolen via password exposure, including data loss, legal costs, customer loss, and a significant decrease in employee productivity.
SplashID Enterprise can be considered not just as a password administration tool, but as a solution for secure record management and sharing. SplashID contains forms for storing records for web logins, accounts, codes, contacts, and more. New custom forms can be added, making SplashID’s capability for record storage unlimited. Also, employees may choose to store personal records in addition to enterprise records in SplashID, and the records are kept separate on the server.
In many cases in an enterprise organization, certain logins or other records need to be shared company-wide, department-wide, or among only a certain group of employees, and SplashID makes this process easy and secure. This record sharing feature of SplashID Enterprise is customizable by not just the central IT administrator but also by individual groups or departments within the enterprise.
The consumer versions of SplashID also secure information on mobile platforms, including iPhone, iPad, Windows Mobile and Android. The next update of SplashID Enterprise will optionally give employees access to records on their smartphones, enabling them to be more productive out of the office as well.
SplashID has already been implemented by many top government agencies, technology companies, investment banks, research labs, and other organizations needing a comprehensive password security solution. Among its existing corporate users are Lawrence Livermore National Labs, NetBank, Getty Foundation, Texas A&M University, Los Alamos National Labs, U.S. National and District court systems, and John Hopkins University.
SplashID Enterprise is available on a per-seat basis for as low as $12 per license.
Companies can now integrate the iPhone and iPad into their IT infrastructure with equinux’s safe and cost effective solution. TARMAC is the first professional provisioning tool tailored specifically for the Apple platform. With TARMAC medium to large enterprises can securely set up and manage their iPhones and iPads over-the-air.
“TARMAC is a milestone for the use of the iPhone and iPad in businesses”, says equinux CEO TIll Schadde. “We’ve tailored TARMAC specifically to the iPhone platform rather than for a myriad of other devices. TARMAC is the only dedicated solution for the iPhone and iPad, making no technical compromises.”
Businesses can use TARMAC to remotely set up their iPhones and iPads without needing to manually connect them to a machine. TARMAC Server operates within a company’s network and using an existing directory service to automatically create personalized user profiles.
TARMAC is installed as middleware on a company’s network, and supports directory services in Active Directory, Open Directory, Open LDAP and MySQL databases. The configuration settings available in TARMAC guarantee safety in provisioning iPhones and iPads.
To install a profile on their iPhone or iPad themselves, users simply log in to the TARMAC web interface via the company’s intranet or over a secure internet connection and follow a few simple steps.
Demo and availability
Installation requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.5 or newer (Client and Server). TARMAC is now available through selected channel partners. Resellers and Apple consultants interested in distributing TARMAC can visit our website equinux.com/goto/tarmacpartner for details on how to apply. Administrators and consultants can register on the equinux website to try out a demo installation of TARMAC.
SplashData, Inc. today announced a major update to its best selling SplashID password manager app for iPhone and iPod(r) touch. The new SplashID version 5.3 includes a unique new pattern-based option for accessing a user’s secure database of passwords, web logins, account numbers, PINs, and other sensitive information. With this new feature, a user traces a distinct finger pattern on the screen and then uses that gesture rather than entering a traditional alphanumeric password to launch SplashID.
The new version of SplashID also offers French, Italian, German, and Spanish language support as well as optional additional icon packs to customize records.
iPhone users, like everyone else, are juggling more and more account numbers, logins and passwords, and while they need to be always accessible, they also need to be completely secure. One simple way for an identity thief to get complete access to a victim’s life is to steal their phone containing unsecured passwords and account numbers.
The newest version of SplashID for iPhone keeps this information as secure as ever, but makes it easier to access for the owner by using a finger to create a distinct pattern on the screen. With millions of possible patterns, it would be virtually impossible for anyone else to “crack the code” and access the iPhone owner’s most confidential information.
“For nearly ten years, SplashID has continued to be developed and refined to address the latest technologies and the ever-changing threats to our customers’ sensitive information,” said Morgan Slain, CEO of SplashData. “Using a finger pattern to unlock SplashID helps solve this dilemma by making it easier for our customers to obtain the information they need when they need it, while making it more difficult for anyone else to access and steal their data. Compared to traditional passwords, finger patterns tend to be more random and therefore harder to guess.”
With the widespread adoption of the iPhone in Europe, offering localized versions of SplashID for French, Italian, German and Spanish-speaking countries was one of the most requested new features for SplashID. Labels, views, descriptions, and other text now all appear in their specific languages.
The new version also enables users to add to the already extensive set of icons built into SplashID by purchasing expanded icon sets for 99 cents. SplashID also enables users to create their own icons to represent their records. Both features continue SplashID’s long tradition of personalization and customization.
SplashID 5.3 for iPhone is available in the iTunes App Store for $9.99. The mobile app syncs seamlessly with the optional desktop companion software for Windows or Mac, also updated today to version 5.3, which can be purchased at SplashData.com for $19.95.
How do you really keep email private? Investigators, lawyers, journalists, and executives, all have reasons to keep their email from prying eyes of sys admins in the IT department or from “George” who happens how to know enough on setting up his small offices’ email system. Professionals are at the mercy of trust when it comes to their email and unfortunately, trust is a difficult thing to rely on. Well, Connect in Private (CIP) wants to take that trust and put it all in your hands with its secure email and SMS offering. By placing serves in Panama City, Panama, “The world’s second most popular locale for offshore businesses,” according to CIP, your email is not susceptible to compromise on this Central American server. Using secure POP3 and IMAP protocols, long-standing industry standards, nearly any mail client from desktop to mobile device will be able to connect to CIPs server. Blackberry users need not worry about email traffic going through RIMs Blackberry Enterprise Servers up in Canada because that’s all bypassed with CIPs soon to be released free BB email client that connects directly and securely to the email servers down by the equator. Using the toughest encryption available and with no user information ever being tracked, you’ll be able to know, and trust, that CIP is in fact keeping your data safe and “for your eyes only”. Like many other email clients, such as Google and Hotmail, CIP offers a web mail interface that allows you to access your email anywhere in the world from a web browser. In essence, nothing changes in the way you access your email.
When I spoke to Network Architect James MacDonald from his Canadian office, he told me that, “People want privacy but don’t know how to get it.” When I noted that between Google and many well known security blogs that make it easy for services like CIPs to be found, MacDonald responded, “The biggest problem is education.” He elaborated and told me that this an emerging market and only the tech savvy really know of this solution. His desire is for more everyone to find out about Connect in Private’s privacy options, such VPN for your Mac or PC, PC Cleaner, and a social networking privacy tool it is beta testing currently, to better help people from becoming victims on the Internet. MacDonald believes that CIP offers a full featured service for home and small businesses that will bring added value and protection to his customers. SvenOnTech always is up for better privacy and we would strongly encourage you to take a look at CIPs offerings.