GuardianEdge Device Control is an enterprise-grade data protection software solution that provides granular access control over peripheral ports and connected external devices on enterprise PCs. The product is developed by GuardianEdge, the leader in endpoint data protection. GuardianEdge Device Control is the newest component of the GuardianEdge Data Protection Platform, the industry's most comprehensive solution for managing endpoint data protection.

    Gartner Principle Research Analyst Ruggero Contu in the February 16, 2007 report: Market Overview: Portable Storage Device Control Products, Worldwide, 2006, noted: "Organizations that allow employees or outsiders to access large amounts of regulated or sensitive information need to explicitly assess the risks associated with the leakage of data through portable storage devices. Most organizations have yet to address the data leakage potential represented by unmanaged USB and FireWire ports (and, to a lesser degree, CD and DVD drives, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi). Moreover, loss of data can occur either through an intentional criminal act or by just losing a storage device containing such data. The consequences of an unwanted loss of sensitive data can be serious if privacy regulations are violated. Corporate reputation is also at risk when security incidents of this type become publicly known."

    If left unsecured, the USB, FireWire, CD/DVD, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth pathways introduce data leakage risks resulting in accidental or intentional compromise of intellectual property, customer and employee data, or other protected information. GuardianEdge Device Control offers enterprises with the possibility to block sensitive data from leaking out of an organization and also helps to prevent malicious code from entering networks via peripheral storage devices connected to corporate computers.

    The new solution enables enterprises to effectively handle these risks without hampering the productivity of employees who have a legitimate need to use removable storage devices and other portable media. Administrators can set policy-based user access controls for ports and devices that align with business requirements and the roles of systems and users. These access control policies enable organizations to block the transfer of data between enterprise computers and removable storage devices, or to block access to these mobile devices altogether. Integrated audit and alert capabilities enable administrators to have complete transparency into the usage of these devices across the enterprise.

    Ram Krishnan, senior vice president of products of GuardianEdge, added: "Portable storage devices are the easiest way to remove sensitive information from an otherwise secure enterprise data environment. Countless news stories have highlighted the security risk these devices represent. GuardianEdge Device Control secures access to peripheral devices and the GuardianEdge Data Protection Platform makes managing access to potentially thousands of peripheral ports simple and straightforward."

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