data erasure news / issue 2
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ÂTRANSCRIPT
Does your organization manage sensitive data properly?
Data Erasure Throughout the Asset LifecyclePart of an effective data security policy
involves implementing data erasure
solutions throughout an IT asset’s life, not
just when it reaches the end-of-lifecycle
phase. “This means whenever temporary,
confidential, or top secret data is no
longer needed at your organization, data
erasure solutions should be utilized to
safely remove data and generate a legally
compliant audit trail to facilitate the safe
reuse of an IT storage device,” according
to Sami Tuupanen, Director of Products
and Services at Blancco.
STarT of LIfecycLe
When an IT asset enters an organization,
asset management software can be used to
track information on the device. However,
this offers no way to maintain a record
about the management of data on the
device and how it was securely handled.
Blancco Management console can be
used to maintain information about an
asset and any applied erasure processes.
It is designed to help manage IT asset
disposal processes, including erasure
software distribution, hardware asset
management, and erasure reporting. The
Blancco Management Console API can
be used to integrate the Management
Console with asset management
software, enabling full automation to
centralize IT asset management and track
all devices, making it the perfect tool to
help an organization manage the lifecycle
and secure erasure of all assets.
comprehensive reporting is performed
by all of Blancco´s erasure products to
issue crucial evidence that each erasure
was successfully completed. These
tamper-proof and verifiable reports are an
essential part of compliance, regulatory
and legal requirements. Reports should
be generated at all stages of the data
destruction lifecycle to ensure that a legally
compliant audit can be performed later on.
The integration of Blancco Management
Console with asset management software
supports an organization’s ability to
effectively manage, secure and audit the
lifecycle of assets and data.
DurIng The LIfecycLe
Robust asset management involves the
secure deletion of protected information
throughout the lifecycle. For example, an
enormous amount of confidential data is
stored on virtualized storage (such as the
cloud), which must be erased when the
information is no longer needed. Individual
files such as internal design documentation
and credit card details on selected computers
must be targeted for erasure when they are
no longer required. To avoid unnecessary risk,
Blancco’s suite of software solutions can meet
all of an organization’s data erasure needs.
Blancco Lun allows data storage
administrators to securely erase segments
of data in active storage environments.
This includes logical units in virtualized
environments or any type of drive supported
by UNIX or Windows operating systems. The
erasure processes can be scheduled or run on
demand to suit an organization’s requirements.
Blancco file can securely destroy individual
files and folders from specified locations with
given rules and parameters. Tasks can be
automated to ensure that data erasure actions
are performed within predefined rules resulting
in targeted and consistent removal of data.
Blancco flash erases data from solid-state
removable storage media such as USB
thumb drives, Secure Digital memory cards,
CompactFlash cards and others. It supports
plug and play to automate the process,
minimizing usage time.
enD of LIfecycLe/ownerShIP change
At the end of the lifecycle phase it is vital to
ensure the complete erasure of the asset. This
is why it is critical to use robust software to
wipe all data and accurately report the process
when an asset is reassigned to another person
at a company, or is being disposed of. Failure
to effectively erase a device can result in
costly data leaks and negative publicity for an
organization. In some situations, i.e. when the
device is defective, degaussing can be used.
Blancco 4 & Blancco 5 can securely erase
data from PCs, laptops, servers and storage
environments. These fully automated and
centrally managed solutions provide cutting
edge efficiency and productivity to meet the
complex needs of organizations managing
multiple data storage devices.
Blancco Mobile securely erases the
internal and external memory of another
key asset type: smartphones and tablets.
Restoring factory settings does not ensure
that data is permanently destroyed,
because the data can still be recovered
afterwards. Blancco Mobile also ensures
that the device is reusable with the
standard OS (operating system), while
providing peace of mind that all critical
corporate data is removed.
Blancco Degausser can be used when hard
disks or other magnetic media become
defective and inaccessible to software. A
degaussing machine destroys data on a
hard drive through the use of a strong
electromagnetic field. �
In thIs Issue: CEO News ® How an Organization Can Prevent Data Leaks ® Global Support Localized ® NHS Case Study from the UK ® Blancco Expands Globally ® The Benefits of Reporting ® Why Erase Data?
Have you thought about what
could ultimately happen if your
organization’s assets were to end up
in the wrong hands?
ISSue 2, SePTeMBer 2013 | This magazine is published by Blancco Oy Ltd. Copyrights 2013 Blancco Oy. All rights reserved.
Having the privilege of attending the
Ernst & Young World Enterpreneur of
the Year Competition was invaluable
to me. I had the honor of representing
Finland as one of 49 entrepreneurs from
over 50 different countries vying for the
world title in Monte Carlo last June. I
learned that passion, energy, and focus
are essential to succeed in the world
of business as an entrepreneur, and no
matter what your roots, the drive to
succeed is necessary to garner success.
CeO newsCEO and Co-Founder Kim Väisänen
My days in Monte Carlo were chock full of
interviews, attending event presentations
and meeting new people such as world
renowned individuals including Kofi Annan,
former United Nations Secretary General,
Dambisa Moyo, international economist
and author, John Cleese, actor, author
and comedian, and even Prince Albert
of Monaco. Returning home to Finland
inspired me to further think of how we at
Blancco can further develop our product
and customer relationships.
We at Blancco strive to be a truly innovative
company and brand. We want to do our
utmost to serve you, our valuable customer,
with the most leading-edge data erasure
solutions on the market. Therefore, we invest
time and resources in product management
and research.
We have a global sales support network
ready to assist you at our 17 different
offices in 15 different countries. We also
Finland
We at Blancco strive to be a truly
innovative company and brand. We
want to do our utmost to serve you,
our valuable customer, with the most
leading-edge data erasure solutions.
froM PrevIouS Page�
concLuSIon
Administering solutions to manage
the secure erasure of data on a device
is an important part of corporate asset
management. Blancco Management
Console allows your organization to fully
automate the process, together with a full
array of Blancco products to suit every
erasure need. These can be seamlessly
integrated through the Management
Console with your organization’s own asset
database and provide comprehensive
data reports and statistics. Reporting
creates a comprehensive audit trail and
provides other important details to create
a complete picture of the asset’s lifecycle.
Have you thought about what could
ultimately happen if your organization’s
assets were to end up in the wrong
hands? “Proper data erasure management
can create peace of mind and help your
organization avoid fines and the damage
that a loss of reputation or intellectual
property can bring,” Tuupanen asserts. ®
How An Organization Can Prevent Data LeaksTargeted data erasure is ideal for removing
confidential data such as credit card
details, confidential customer information
and internal office documents to prevent
data leaks. Blancco file securely erases
selected data to ensure full compliance
with new legislation and regulations
demanding secure removal of customer
data such as the PcI DSS (Payment card
Industry Data Security Standard) and the
upcoming eu Protection Directive. This
advanced file shredding solution makes
day-to-day shredding easy and supports
all leading erasure standards.
Blancco File is DIPCOG* approved, and one
of Blancco’s most flexible software solutions
for corporate and enterprise companies. The
software can be installed in both Windows
and Unix environments and is used for
securely erasing files, folders, free disk space,
temporary files and even virtual machines.
This also makes it a useful tool in data centers
as it compliments Blancco LUN for a combined
erasure of both the virtual machines and the
virtual drives that they manage.
Scripting and automation
Scripting and automation are some of the
most sought after features of this product.
Erasures can be set to perform automatically
at a certain time and/or day. Rules can also
be set to target specific file extensions. As
an example, if a .docx file is converted into
.pdf and must then be erased, Blancco File
can be scripted to automatically target
the .docx for erasure after the conversion
is complete. Erasures are also possible in
virtual environments such as ESX and ESXi
where the datastore of a virtual machine
needs to be securely removed instead of just
the inventory.
examples of use
An administrator has the ability to install
Blancco File on all client computers by
pushing an MSI installation package
through the network so every end-user will
be able to target their daily files and folders
for secure erasure. The administrator also
has the ability to use Group Policy Objects
to limit and/or configure the ability of end-
users. One example would be setting a rule
for all erasures using the Department of
Defense three-time overwriting method.
Many other scenarios are possible for using
Blancco File. Network erasures are possible
for users who have access to network shared
folders and files. Erasures through NFS
(Network File System) and CIFS (Common
Internet File System) are a popular solution
as well. Integration with Microsoft’s FCI
(File Classification Infrastructure) is possible
in case a company has the need to search
through entire folder structures to find
certain documents. This means all files can
be targeted within the folder structure for
automatic erasure is possible rather than
manually digging for specific files which
saves time, ensures 100 percent success, and
removes the possibility of human error.
audit trail
After every erasure, a report will be
generated as proof. These reports contain all
of the necessary information such as the file
name and time of the erasure. The reports
can be stored locally, sent via email and
sent to the Blancco Management Console
for synchronization with a database for a
complete audit trail. ®
exeCutIOn methOds
Blancco File is driven in three different ways:
1. User-driven execution
When the user of the computer
gives the “Erase” command.
2. Event-driven execution
When an event dictates that
an erasure will be performed.
For example, when a .docx is
converted into .pdf, the .docx is
then automatically erased.
3. Policy-driven execution
When a company must comply
with local or global regulations
by securely erasing their data.
For example, all data from former
customers must be erased after
six months.
* The Defence INFOSEC Product Co-operation Group of the UK
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have localized technical support to serve
our customers in eight different languages
which is coordinated from local offices who
liaise with our headquarters office to give
you service at each of our global locales.
We welcome your feedback which can help
with further development of our brand to
further improve your organization´s erasure
process efficiency and secure crucial data. ®
View short video clip from Monte Carlo event:
http://bcove.me/zc2vrr7c
http://bit.ly/15ieJwf
Data ErasurE nEws2
Folder Structure
Credit Card Information Con�dential Document Strategy Plan
Q&a with Blancco’s Technical Support Manager
Blancco’s Technical Support Manager, harri hirvonen, facilitates
the flow of information for the Technical Support Team and
designs support processes globally. He and his staff of 14
Technical Support Engineers and Specialists, located around the
globe, help customers to utilize Blancco’s data erasure product
solutions. The main technical support hub, located at the
company’s headquarters in Joensuu, Finland, interfaces with all of
Blancco’s offices around the world.
Global Support Localized
Case study: The North & East London CSU Erases Patient Data with Blancco
Q: what is the main function of Blancco’s
global Technical Support Team?
a: Our main function is to make sure
our customers can use Blancco product
solutions as efficiently as possible, and if
problems occur to help solve them as soon
as possible.
Q: what is your role within the
Technical Support Team?
a: My main role as manager of the team
is to learn if the customer is satisfied with
our services and how we can improve their
experience.
Q: how do global technical support
operations work at Blancco?
a: We divide the globe into three different
time zones—America, EMEA, and Asia
Pacific. The American zone covers North
and South America; the EMEA supports all
European countries, for example Finland,
Germany, France, the UK, and Benelux;
and Asian Pacific covers Japan, SE Asia and
Australasia. In this way we localize support
all over the world so that customers will be
supported in their own language, as much
as possible, in all of our major market
areas, and we can cover all time zones. The
advantage is that through our centralized
support system our offices can back each
other up during holidays or other busy
periods. Support is currently available in
eight different languages.
Q: what is the benefit of local support?
a: From the customer’s point of view our
support team is easier to contact when
he or she can communicate in his or her
own language, area and local time zone.
Nowadays, the human element is often
removed from technical support as IT
companies often automate or outsource
such services to a third party, but we make
sure that it’s always there. This is the key
advantage of our business strategy to localize
support, and our customers appreciate this.
Q: what is the goal of the Technical
Support Team?
a: Our goal is to have happy and satisfied
customers with effective data erasure
processes in place. We want to collect as much
feedback from our customers as possible
from the field. Ultimately, we will then be
able to report issues to our development
team to improve product quality.
Q: what are the main questions
or concerns customers have?
a: Most questions our customers ask
are not technical but process-related, or
Nowadays, the human element is
often removed from technical support
as IT companies often automate or
outsource such services to a third party,
but we make sure that it’s always there.
in other words, not on software issues,
but on the erasure process or how to
complete it.
Q: what would you like customers
to know about technical support?
a: We are here to help our customers
and to educate them on the usability of
our erasure solutions. We want to know if
customers are satisfied with our service.
We are more than happy to receive
feedback regarding our customer support
operations, and always open to new ideas
on how we can improve our services.
The best way to reach us is to fill out our
contact support form and a technical
support representative will contact you:
http://support.blancco.com ®
The north & east London commissioning
Support unit (cSu) utilizes Blancco data
erasure solutions to erase patient data
by selective data erasure on shared sever
systems and permanent erasure of Pcs,
laptops and servers. Blancco solutions are
helping the organization to secure data
and manage the lifecycle of its assets.
The North & East London CSU is a new
National Health Service (NHS) organization
which provides expert support and advice
to help clinical commissioners to deliver
improved health services to local populations
in the United Kingdom. The NHS is the world’s
largest publically funded health care system.
The North & East London CSU delivers an
extensive range of services from contracting
and analytics to finance and communications.
Following a major overaul and restructure
of the NHS in 2013, Commissioning Support
Units have been put in place to provide a
range of commissioning services to their
local NHS Trusts. The North & East London
CSU uses Blancco to decommission IT
equipment and for overall IT transition
support for their NHS Trust clients.
The North & East London CSU currently
utilizes a full range of Blancco product
solutions for their erasure needs including:
Blancco Management Console, Blancco 4.10
HMG, Blancco 4.10 Server, Blancco File, and
Blancco Support Package.
Blancco provided the North & East London
CSU with up front pre-sales technical
guidance and live product demos as well
as remote training when installing Blancco
Management Console. Since the initial set-
up, the organization has implemented various
customizations of the software including
remote deployment via MSI delivery and
automated erasure scheduling with the
Blancco Management Console also helping to
manage licenses and centralize reports.
With Blancco 4.10 HMG the organization
can erase data from servers, laptops and
PCs and Blancco 4.10 Server Edition allows
them to remotely erase servers. Blancco File
is used for selective erasure of patient data
in addition to erasing selective data from
shared servers systems with information
utilized by multiple trusts.
The North & East London CSU is required to
decommission servers that have been used
by previous NHS Trusts. Some of these trusts
used shared server systems for storing
information and, therefore, contained data
which had to be selectively erased in a
secure manner before being returned to the
ownership of the trust. Blancco File enabled
the organization to pick and choose which
information to permanently wipe and which
to retain to handle this complicated process.
Blancco has also been advising the North &
East London CSU on best practices for the
use of software and internal compliance
as well as selective erasure of patient data
from NAS servers.
With products tailored to the organization’s
needs, Blancco data erasure solutions have
helped the North & East London CSU to
implement a secure process for wiping
data in compliance with governmental
regulations in the UK. ®
Blancco has been advising the North
& East London CSU on best practices
for the use of software and internal
compliance as well as selective erasure
of patient data from NAS servers.
Data ErasurE nEws 3
why erase data?IT assets pose a significant risk to organizations because of the large volumes of
confidential information stored on them. Data must be completely destroyed before IT
assets are disposed of, recycled, reused or donated.
BlanCCO expands GlOBally
Blancco is approved by:
Blancco opened a new subsidiary in
Brisbane, Australia in July. This opening not
only showcases our growth, but highlights
the need for proper data erasure to ensure
privacy worldwide.
Recent changes to Australia’s Privacy act will
go into effect next year prompting businesses
to ensure that they are in compliance with
the law and with international standards of
data privacy and security.
“With recent legislative changes in
Australia, it is more important than ever for
naTo Tüv-Süd nSM
report
Blancco also generates detailed reports
providing critical evidence of every
erasure.
erase
Blancco not only permanently erases all
data, including hidden and remapped
sectors…
BLancco’S unIQue era ProceSS
audit
These reports ensure the existence of
a comprehensive audit trail – a critical
requirement for compliance and
regulatory and legal auditing needs.
Copyright © 2013 Blancco Oy Ltd. All Rights Reserved. The information contained in this document represents the current view of Blancco Oy Ltd on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because of changing market conditions, Blancco cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication. This white paper is for informational purposes only. Blancco makes no warranties, express or implied, in this document. Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user. Without limiting the rights under copyright, no part of this document may be reproduced, stored in, or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), or for any purpose, without the express written permission of Blancco.
For more information or to download our whitepapers,
please visit
www.blancco.com
One key advantage of Blancco's data erasure
solutions is that each erasure generates
a comprehensive and digitally-signed
report. Reports are critical to prove that the
erasure was actually performed as without
them there is no evidence that the erasure
actually took place. They can also help
collect details related to the erasure and
your organization´s IT sanitized assets.
Blancco’s reports are an essential part of
compliance, regulatory and legal auditing
requirements for your organization.
reports provide information about
the auditing process such as:
• Condition of the hardware
• Relevant serial numbers and asset tags
• Software details for license harvesting
• How and by whom the erasure was done
critical audit securityAll activities are logged in an erasure
report which ensures transparency and
gapless security prior to and during your
organization´s auditing process. These
reports include digital signatures for
maximum security and to avoid tampering.
compliance with industry regulations
Blancco's detailed reporting and auditing
information complies with industry
standards and regulations such as ISO
15408, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and PCI DSS. ®
organizations to have a partner like Blancco
to ensure they are managing data erasure
efficiently and securely,” says Karl gaines,
Managing Director of Blancco Australasia.
Blancco also established a subsidiary in
August in Berlin, Germany to serve our
governmental customers within the region.
“Blancco obtained BSI certification in March of
this year and now offers professional erasure
software to governmental institutions and
municipalities. Now we are positioned to serve
these customers in this region”, says Martin
Kaiser, Office Manager of Blancco Berlin.
the BeneFIts OF COmprehensIve repOrtInG
We have been growing in Central Europe
as more than fifty percent of the top
30-Fortune companies (DAX) in Germany
now use Blancco´s solutions as customers
demand more efficient and professional
data erasure management.
“The new Berlin office allows us to be in
the political hub in Germany and serve
selected customers in the Northeast
part, and to also expand into the Eastern
European market”, says Thomas wirth,
General Manager of Blancco Central
Europe. ®