Wave Systems, a Massachusetts-based provider of security, data protection and encryption solutions, today launched a subscription-based cloud service to help enterprises simplify management of self-encrypting drives (SEDs).
Dubbed Wave Cloud, the service allows enterprises to centrally manage hardware-based data encryption, Wave Systems said Wednesday. Organizations interested in using SEDs within the enterprise have traditionally found it expensive and complex to manage. On-premise management also generally required dedicated servers and in-house experts to configure each drive and track where the drives are being used, Wave said.
“Wave Cloud opens the door for a new generation of users to discover the top-shelf endpoint data protectin afforded by SEDs,” said Brian Berger, Wave’s executive president of marketing and sales.
The platform gives organizations the ability to remotely manage the drives, enforce security policies, and retrieve passwords, Berger explained.
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Hardware encryption has several advantages over software encryption, but the high cost of management and the associated complexity have deterred organizations from widespread deployment. SEDs provide one of the best defenses against data breach, since if the laptop is lost, the data is already encrypted and there’s no way for the user to turn it off.
The hardware encryption offered in SEDs have better performance, allow for faster deployment, and provide enhanced security, compared to software-based encryption products, according to Wave. The SEDs are generally faster because encryption happens on a chip and doesn’t have to wait for the computer to free up processing cycles. It is also not possible for the end-user to compromise the built-in encryption and SEDs are impervious to cold-boot or side channel attacks, according to Wave.
Wave is planning on additional features for Wave Cloud, expected later this year. The new capabilities include automatic enrollment of SEDs, easy integration with Microsoft BitLocker encryption and Windows 8 eDrive technology, and the ability to pair a device’s SED and Trusted Platform Module, according to the company. By pairing the SED with the TPM chip, organizations could switch off user authentication when the SED is not on the network. There were no details available at this time on exact timing.
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