Protecting your computers, data & reputation

The release of the Version 4.0 of The CyberAngel Security Software marks yet another advancement in the continual fight against security threats, delivering increased client management tools and better usability. Version 4.0 is not just a client software upgrade but also a long-awaited upgrade to the core servers and management suite. Such an upgrade will not only provide additional security features and benefits for the end-user, but will also increase implementation flexibility for the IT administrator. This new software can be delivered to the end-users using industry standard deployment tools, and has client management tools that were unavailable in previous versions. Its data encryption allows for broader file coverage, while its asset tracking has increased reporting capabilities for computer recovery.

“I am so thankful to The CyberAngel for all of the help they have provided. To have all those different computers stolen and then recovered has been a blessing!”
-By Kathryn K of Albuquerque

In examining a value proposition for The CyberAngel it is important to understand some of the dynamics involved and perceptions about theft and recovery.  We see that there are several players in this drama.  There is the client, whose primary goal is to protect their company from an embarrassing breach of confidential data and prevention of unauthorized remote access to their network from those computers.  Next there is the end-user, who is usually the victim in the crime.  It is their vehicle, home or office that was broken into a majority of the time, resulting in the loss of that business computer.  In home and office break-ins especially, we find that there were other items stolen during that theft, furthering the burden on that victim.  You also have to consider other participants, such as the co-workers in an office that have been burglarized, or other businesses in an area that have fallen victim to a string of robberies by the same perpetrator.  The value that The CyberAngel brings to the table is multi-fold.  The client, the victim, and the community all benefit when The CyberAngel is employed.

The value to the client is of most importance because of the huge loss possibilities otherwise.  A breach, or possible breach, of sensitive personal information of their employee or clients / patients, can cost an organization millions of dollars.  A couple of years ago, the University of CA Berkley had one laptop stolen, with approximately 100,000 records of personal information available to be accessed in plain text.  They spent over 2.4 million dollars in notification cost alone.

The most vulnerable statistically are those that use their laptops or tablets in the course of their daily job.  Home healthcare, financial and audit, sales, insurance, tax preparation, education administration and faculty, all are in that high probability target range.  In our 14 year history, we have seen approximately 66% of all thefts as a result of a vehicle break-in, while at work, at lunch, at a client location, at the mall, and at home in the driveway.

Small business owners face challenges to their business to get it started and in a growth pattern.  Theft of equipment and a potential compromise of client data, business plans, or financials can be devastating.  The CyberAngel provides security of sensitive / critical information and data as well as being able to track and locate that computer in the event of loss or theft.  With the Privacy and Security Breach Laws in effect all across the USA, a small business can be crippled having to provide Breach Notification to all affected customers, and can suffer fines for non-compliance.

Case Study

A Fortune 500 client with over 30,000 end-user laptops protected with The CyberAngel contain sensitive client information for sales purposes and uploads / downloads information to Corporate on a regular basis.

The end-user / victim worked in a remote office with 15 other employees.  A total of 13 computers were located at that premise, 11 desktop units and two laptops with The CyberAngel installed.  One evening, that office was broken into, and all computers, copiers, and fax machines were stolen.

At 3:37 AM the following day, The CyberAngel Security Monitoring Center received an alert from a stolen computer as it was being accessed.  Later that morning, the victim called in to report the break-in of her office and subsequent theft of her laptop.  In checking the record, a Recovery Team technician noticed that the computer had called in earlier that morning.  The CyberAngel Recovery Team collected the location data, verified the information with several databases, and communicated it the detective assigned that case.  By mid-afternoon of that same day the police had a search warrant for the location indentified by The CyberAngel.  Upon entering the premise, they noticed a multitude of computers, copiers, telephone systems, and other electronic devices scattered throughout the living and dining room areas.  The thief was arrested and ultimately confessed to burglarizing many other businesses within that large business park complex over the past several months.  The stolen laptop was returned to the victim, all sensitive files still encrypted and secure, all of their office computers and equipment was recovered, several businesses had stolen merchandise returned to them, and a habitual thief was removed from the streets of their city.  Everyone involved, save the thief, benefitted from The CyberAngel being installed on that solitary machine.

The CyberAngel is a strong hybrid technology tool, designed to provide safeguards in several areas of computing.  Once a laptop or tablet leaves the corporate campus, goes outside of its protected network, it is at risk.  Users do not employ the same security mindset while they are on the road, or at home that they do at the office, and they become vulnerable.  In today's environment of Data and Identity Theft, it is a company's obligation to protect the data and provide their employees a safe computing environment.  With tracking and recovery, we offer a value add to the end user, the victim usually in the theft.  By the recovery of the computer, we can often help law enforcement to recover other items stolen during that theft, bring great value to the victim.

For more information, please visit www.thecyberangel.com