Hunt Valley, Md. – May 7, 2013 – Oculis Labs, a developer of security software that protects computers from visual data leakage,solutions, today announced has been included in the list of “Cool Vendors” in the “Cool Vendors in Privacy” report by Gartner, Inc. Gartner defines a Cool Vendor as a vendor that offers technologies or solutions that are innovative, impactful and intriguing.

With the increasing rate of adoption of mobility-enabling technologies including virtual desktops and BYOD, people and organizations are experience increasing levels of serious privacy breach.  Traditional security tools like VPN and encryption stop at the network edge and fail to protect privacy in the real world.  Oculis Labs’ PrivateEye solution uniquely fills the need to protect information wherever and whenever it is being viewed – on laptops in a coffee shop, tablets in the airport and smartphones everywhere.

“Our inclusion in the Gartner Cool Vendor report is confirmation that the market is ready for a better approach to securing data privacy,” said Bill Anderson, CEO at Oculis Labs.  “We looked at the gaps left by conventional security tools and found a great opportunity to use computer vision technology to protect against threats in the real world.  Our PrivateEye product delivers display privacy and gives organizations the tools they need to ensure compliance with regulations.”

Our latest release of PrivateEye Enterprise includes these main features:

• Screen Protection – Automatically protects the screen whenever the user looks away from it.  Instantly clears it when the user looks back.
• Policy Management – Enables administrators to manage licenses and security policies with Microsoft Group Policy.
• Citrix Ready – Now verified ready for Citrix XenDesktops
• Power Savings – Save up to 30% power annually with user-aware power management.
• Eavesdropper Prevention – Detects and/or protects whenever eavesdroppers try to read a display.
• Incident Capture – Captures and timestamps pictures of anyone attempting to eavesdrop over a user’s shoulder.  Enables detection and mitigation of social engineering threats.

About Oculis Labs

Oculis Labs, headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland, develops data privacy software that secures the last two feet of the Internet – the distance from the computer screen to a user’s eyes. The company’s products protect valuable information displayed on mobile and desktop computers from unintended viewers. Today the company offers PrivateEye for consumers and the enterprise and Chameleon for government and military users. These two solutions safeguard all displayed information from visual eavesdropping. For more information, visit www.oculislabs.com.

Disclaimer: Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

You’re not leading the life of an international spy, so you don’t need to worry that your every move is being watched.   Still, you do need to be concerned about some things you’re doing that could land you in serious trouble.

Here are the top 5 steps you should take to ensure you don’t become a privacy victim:

1. Lock your screen.  Sometimes we forget to take the simplest security measures.  You need to keep out the people who could use your absence to plug in a USB drive and steal your data.   If you’re going to be away even briefly, lock your screen.   Better yet – use a security system like PrivateEye that will automatically lock it for you whenever you’re away.
2. Be aware of your surroundings.  A bit of healthy caution is better than blind trust.  This means you can’t ignore the people who surround you every day.  Every now and then take a look around at who is close enough to be snooping at your screen.  Assess the situation.  Are you working on something you wouldn’t post for everyone to see?  If that’s true take care to ensure your screen is not visible to passers-by.
3. Expect to be famous.  You may not face daily battles with the Paparrazi, but you might consider adopting something of that mindset to your online presence. You need to realize that everything you post could be collected, collated, compiled, analyzed and used against you.  It’s not only public search tools you need to consider, but private tools and databases as well.  With a few clicks a potential thief can get from your “on vacation in Aruba” Facebook post to your home address, telephone number, bank, license plate and social security number.  Beware that what you post is available to people who are not your friends.
4. Use a VPN on public WiFi.    Did you know that everything you send over an http:// web connection can be seen by a network snooper?  Someone could be sitting right next to you in a coffee shop collecting all of your social networking data – including passwords.  And if you use the same password for other accounts – like your bank account – you could be asking for serious trouble.
5. Encrypt your drive.   It doesn’t matter how careful you are with passwords and network access if your laptop falls into the wrong hands.  If you have a standard OS it means all your data, web history, and communications can be extracted from the hard drive.  Your password isn’t going to help you because an attacker can bypass your operating system and go straight to reading data from the drive.  The only way to prevent this is to run a full disk encryption product that turns your drive into a brick when you’re not using it.

Let’s take a closer look at the insider threat and try to understand why your conventional security products can’t stop it.

Simple Observation: What you see is what you get

Studies by the Secret Service, Verizon Business, and CERT at Carnegie Mellon have found up to 50% of information security breaches are caused by insiders.  These are employees with an axe to grind, or who see an opportunity for financial gain.  They’re not easy to spot – demographic analysis shows no easy pattern to finding the bad apples before they spoil.

You might think you could easily spot them by their hacker credentials, pasty complexion and tendency to cackle aloud.  You’d be wrong.  The same studies found an astonishing 42% of insider breaches involved no more than simple observation of computer screens.  There were no sophisticated tools involved, just the skill to look around the office and discover the orienting information needed for a successful breach.

To a social engineer intent on extracting data, the modern office reads like an open book.  Over-the-shoulder reconnaissance reveals what is available, where it is, and who has access to it – all the ingredients an adversary needs to succeed at a data breach.

Whether it starts inside or out breaches are expensive, costing companies an average of $750,000 per incident.

Government Legislation to the Rescue?

The U.S. Government has recognized the issue and in 2010 updated the legal definition of Computer Trespassing to include “looking at a computer screen that an individual was not authorized to view.”

While the new statute makes it easier to prosecute social engineers, catching or (even better) preventing them remains the primary challenge.   What’s lacking are technical security solutions to protect information over the last two feet of the network: from the screen to the user’s eyes.

Conventional Security Stops Short

You’ve got an IT department to stay on top of security threats, so you’re probably wondering where all that money has been going.   Conventional security tools are all about protecting data “on-the-wire” – inside the network and on your hard drive.  That’s necessary, but not sufficient.

Organizations that focus exclusively on network security may keep out external attackers, but that’s not enough to prevent insider-driven breaches.  Without also protecting data-in-use on computer screens it’s like locking the doors while leaving the windows open.

Securing the Last Two Feet

To counter the insider threat we need to think about the full information lifecycle – from creation to consumption.  Where portions of that cycle are exposed to the outside world we need to think about who has access and how to control it.  There’s a lot of “low-hanging fruit” along that path.  The next time you’re thinking about allocating resources to some expensive network security project consider first the completely unprotected spaces between the user and the screen and plug them first.  You’ll save money and come out ahead on security at the same time.

Do you work on a mobile device in public? If yes, join our webinar on December 4 to learn about PrivateEye and get a 30-day free trial – 10,000 users can’t be wrong! 

Hunt Valley, Md. – November 28, 2012 – The world is going mobile and that means privacy concerns will only increase as people work and play on their various devices in public. To help prevent “over-the-shoulder eavesdropping” and avert privacy concerns, Oculis Labs announces today that over 10,000 users, in 26 countries, have adopted its PrivateEye software solution. With innovative software that reacts to the real world, PrivateEye protects with computer vision technology to obscure the screen when the user is not present or when eavesdroppers attempt to view the display. For enterprise and government organizations it has central management features that allow it to be deployed easily by IT departments.

Join us for a free webinar on December 4 at 11:30 a.m. EST to learn how PrivateEye protects on-screen data. Just visit: https://join.me/539-381-767. All attendees will get a 30-day free trial of PrivateEye. The trial version is fully functional and includes these features:

• Eavesdropper Detection – Detects and alerts the user whenever eavesdroppers try to read a display. PrivateEye blurs the screen to keep information private and automatically resolves when the threat has ended.

• Screen Protection – Instantly protects the screen whenever the user looks away from it and clears it again when the user looks back.

• Face Recognition – Unlocks the computer with just a look at the user and locks it whenever the user is away. If anyone else tries to access the computer, the face recognition system keeps them out.

In addition to enjoying rapid user adoption in 2012, Oculis Labs has received tremendous recognition and multiple accolades, including:

• The Security Innovation Network (SINET) selected Oculis Labs as a 2012 SINET 16 Innovator in October 2012

•  The International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) named the company the winner in the technology category of the HP-IAPP Privacy Innovation awards in October 2012

• Government Computer News recognized Oculis Labs as a “Product of the Month” in June 2012

• The 2012 Global Excellence Awards named Oculis Labs the winner in the category of Best New Security Start-Up Company of the Year (Software) in February 2012

“Privacy is a fundamental desire and the need to safeguard data security is increasing on a global scale,” said Bill Anderson, CEO, Oculis Labs. “Our company has always advocated for the importance of protecting data at every point in its lifecycle – including the last two feet from a user’s eyes to the screen. The worldwide surge in adoption of Oculis Labs’ products is a testament to the heightened international awareness of the need for visual privacy and security solutions.”

About Oculis Labs

Oculis Labs, headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland, develops data privacy software that secures the last two feet of the Internet – the distance from the computer screen to a user’s eyes. The company’s products protect valuable information displayed on mobile and desktop computers from unintended viewers. Today the company offers PrivateEye for consumers and the enterprise and Chameleon for government and military users. These two solutions safeguard all displayed information from visual eavesdropping. For more information, visit www.oculislabs.com.

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Media Contact:

Molly Doyle

Welz and Weisel Communications

(703) 218-3555

molly@w2comm.com

This video post is an interview with Oculis CEO Bill Anderson and excerpts from his popular presentation at SINET this year.

Hunt Valley, Md. – October 12, 2012– Oculis Labs, a developer of data privacy software that protects mobile and desktop computers from visual eavesdroppers, today announced that it is the winner of the 2012 HP-IAPP Privacy Innovation Award in the technology category. Selected for its PrivateEye Enterprise solution, this award underscores the company’s vision and success in developing a technology that goes beyond anything else available to secure a display while not interfering with user productivity. Hosted by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), the HP-IAPP Privacy Innovation Awards recognize unique programs and services in global privacy and data protection across both private and public sectors. The awards program is managed exclusively by the IAPP and made possible through the generous underwriting support of HP.

Social engineering attacks are an increasing threat to information privacy for businesses, governments and individuals, and unprotected computer screens are easy targets. PrivateEye Enterprise is a cost-effective way to secure regulated, proprietary and personal information against unintentional disclosure to prying eyes. The product, a desktop security application, employs facial recognition and detection algorithms with a standard webcam to actively protect information displayed on computer screens.  Authorized users get access with a simple glance, but anyone else is detected and prevented from viewing the screen.

PrivateEye is available as a stand-alone or an enterprise-managed solution for Windows, and cloud-based Virtual Desktops. PrivateEye helps organizations meet their compliance goals with unique capabilities to understand and protect against risks in the real world in front of the computer screen. CIOs and Privacy Officers can now have an environment where information is protected all the way from the source to the recipient.

“We are honored to be recognized by the IAPP for our innovation. This prestigious award is a testament to Oculis Labs’ ongoing dedication to lead the industry with unique and practical privacy solutions,” said Bill Anderson, CEO, Oculis Labs. “A look around most offices reveals how computers have been broadcasting personal, proprietary and regulated information for others to see. We believe in a better way, where everyone can have privacy when working on their computers.”

 About the IAPP

The International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) is the largest and most comprehensive global information privacy community and resource, helping practitioners develop and advance their careers and organizations manage and protect their data. Founded in 2000, the IAPP is a not-for-profit association that helps to define and support the privacy profession through networking, education and certification. More information about the IAPP is available at www.privacyassociation.org.

 About Oculis Labs

Oculis Labs, headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland, develops data privacy software that secures the last two feet of the Internet – the distance from the computer screen to a user’s eyes. The company’s products protect valuable information displayed on mobile and desktop computers from unintended viewers. Today the company offers PrivateEye for consumers and the enterprise and Chameleon for government and military users. These two solutions safeguard all displayed information from visual eavesdropping. For more information, visit www.oculislabs.com.

Media Contact:

Molly Doyle

Welz and Weisel Communications

(703) 218-3555

molly@w2comm.com

VIENNA, Va., July 12, 2012 — NJVC^® and Oculis Labs^® announce a new strategic licensing agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, NJVC has been granted reseller rights for Oculis Labs’ PrivateEye Enterprise and Chameleon software applications that proactively protect sensitive data on computer displays against unintentional disclosure.

PrivateEye desktop security employs facial recognition and detection algorithms with a standard webcam to guard information displayed on computer screens from eavesdroppers, while Chameleon, using gaze-tracking technology, enables an authorized user to read a classified document in a crowded room while preventing anyone else from reading the screen. Both of these solutions were built specifically to protect sensitive and classified materials and data for government customers and other regulated industries.

“NJVC is pleased to announce its new strategic alliance with Oculis Labs, and to offer its innovative security products to customers,” said Jody Tedesco, NJVC president. “This agreement not only acknowledges NJVC’s commitment to providing innovative products to our customers, but also the company’s potential to grow and expand into new markets which require the type of state-of-the-art security applications that Oculis offers.”

Under the terms of the agreement, NJVC will be the official supplier of PrivateEye Enterprise 4.0 and Chameleon to certain customers, and offer full maintenance and support services.

“Data stolen from a computer screen is just as compromised as if leaked through a network attack,” said Bill Anderson, Founder and CEO of Oculis Labs. “Our company is addressing the growing onslaught of damaging social engineering and insider threat exploits in government and commercial organizations. It only makes sense to partner with a tier-one technology services provider like NJVC that has a global commercial footprint and strong focus and reputation within the government. We look forward to working together to better protect mobile computer users.”

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About NJVC^®

With a focus on information technology automation, NJVC^® specializes in supporting highly secure, complex IT enterprises in business-critical environments. We offer a wide breadth of IT solutions to our customers, ranging from strategic consulting to flexible managed services in five business areas: Cloud Services, Cyber Security, Data Center Services, IT Services and Print Solutions. Our global workforce includes dedicated and talented employees, with 94 percent holding security clearances, located at more than 160 customer sites. We partner with our customers to support their missions. To learn more, visit www.njvc.com.

About Oculis Labs^®

Oculis Labs, headquartered in Hunt Valley, Md., develops data privacy software that secures the last two feet of the Internet—the distance from the computer screen to a user’s eyes. The company’s products protect valuable information displayed on mobile and desktop computers from unintended viewers. Today the company offers PrivateEye for consumers and the enterprise and Chameleon for government and military users. These two solutions safeguard all displayed information from visual eavesdropping. For more information, visit www.oculislabs.com.

Contact

Michelle Snyder, NJVC, 703.893.7609, michelle.snyder@njvc.com
Audra Capas, 5StarPR, 703.437.9301, audra@5starpr.com

Molly Doyle, Welz & Weisel Communications, 703.877.8113, molly@w2comm.com

If even a paranoid social engineer on the run from the law can get caught by and over-the-shoulder observer, do you think your computer screen is any safer?