Blancco: Erasure Software For Tablets and Smartphones

Businesses often view data threats from mobile devices like smartphones and tablets in terms of malware, phishing, and spyware, but improper decommissioning can pose an even bigger security risk, according to Blancco Oy Ltd., in data erasure and computer reuse solutions.

Analysts estimate that more than 100 million mobile phones are now recycled each year, yet surveys show that from 20 to 90 percent reach the secondhand market with sensitive data. While many corporate security policies address removal of data from servers and laptops before reassignment, resale or donation, mobile devices are often overlooked, despite similar repercussions as larger equipment in terms of regulatory fines and damages to corporate reputation.

Blancco Mobile Edition data erasure software offers businesses, as well as the third-party information technology asset disposal (ITAD) specialists who support them, an extra level of assurance that all data has been wiped from mobile devices. The software’s effectiveness in sanitizing data was recently certified by the internationally recognized testing agency TÜV SÜD, complementing its adherence to DoD data erasure standards. The certification comes at a time when many businesses are developing or assessing their mobile device policy.

"IT asset and security managers now recognize that simply destroying a smartphone’s SIM card and performing a factory reset doesn’t always fully erase internal and external memory," said Markku Willgren, President of Blancco’s US operations. "Blancco Mobile Edition, as certified by TÜV SÜD, removes data from mobile devices while creating a detailed erasure report as proof. A growing number of security- and compliance-minded companies – including a major international chemical company with more than 50,000 employees – have embraced the certified Blancco Mobile Edition as a security best practice."

With Blancco Mobile Edition, a single operator is capable of erasing more than 300 smartphones per day, with automatically-generated erasure reports providing details such as serial number, IMEI code, operator information and storage capacity – important details for resale and reuse purposes. It is TÜV SÜD certified for Android, Blackberry, Symbian and Windows Mobile platforms, with certification expected for Apple iOS in Q1 2012.