WinMagic Software Encrypts VMs Running on Infrastructure as a Service Platform

WinMagic, Inc. introduced security software that encrypts VMs running on Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) platforms.
Addressing the growing concerns of protecting critical assets stored within virtual environments, SecureDoc CloudVM is an enterprise encryption solution that offers support for Windows-based platforms running in public, private and hybrid cloud environments through application aware intelligent key management.

The application aware intelligent key management capability embedded within SecureDoc CloudVM offers a single pane of glass view into where and how encryption is being deployed. The solution increases visibility and strengthens data security within virtual environments by controlling the encryption key management system across a vast array of layers including endpoints, file servers, virtual servers, enterprise file sync and share (EFSS) solutions and IoT instances. SecureDoc CloudVM’s application aware intelligent key management capability alleviates the problems associated with protecting multiple encrypted layers and managing associated keys and credentials by providing key and policy management for virtualized workloads.

For almost two decades, the firm has made it easy to secure data with SecureDoc, a secure yet flexible solution that enables businesses to comply with privacy and security regulations by protecting sensitive data residing in laptops, desktops, servers and on removable media. It provides customers with robust data encryption and security support by centrally managing everything encryption-related within the enterprise.

“As more and more organizations turn to cloud adoption for a cost-effective approach to scalability and efficiency in the workplace, there is an increasing focus on the lack of proper data security across public, private and hybrid cloud environments,” said James LaPalme, VP, cloud solutions, WinMagic. “SecureDoc CloudVM alleviates the anxiety associated with storing business critical data in the cloud. Through a cloud-agnostic approach to encryption, WinMagic is giving the control of key management back to the IT department, all while ensuring the protection and security of data stored in virtualized workloads.“

Key features and benefits of SecureDoc CloudVM include:

• Centralized intelligent key management: SecureDoc CloudVM offers a single platform manager of encryption from the endpoint, to the cloud, to IoT and beyond. All of this can be simply achieved across public, private and hybrid cloud environments storing virtual data, even alongside other full disk encryption methods.

• Windows protection: SecureDoc CloudVM offers full VM encryption for Windows-only environments running in public, private and hybrid cloud instances.

• Compliance and auditing report capability: SecureDoc CloudVM enables IT departments to ensure that the way in which sensitive data is encrypted remains compliant based on regulatory and industry standards.

This offering from the company follows recently conducted research that further proves cloud adoption is on the rise, but sensitive data stored in virtual environments is not always secure. According to a company’s-commissioned survey conducted online by Spiceworks, Inc. in December 2015 among 150 IT decision makers currently using or planning to use cloud computing services and solutions, very few IT decision makers believe their data is completely secure in either a private cloud (29%) or public cloud (11%) environment. However, when it comes to actually encrypting data stored in virtual environments, the most common approach to securing data is in encrypting network traffic (53%) – while only one-third encrypt or plan to encrypt data at the disk/device level.

“The data from this survey further proves that although cloud adoption continues to drive at the forefront of future and current IT investments, there is an apparent lack of confidence when it comes to whether data stored in these virtual environments is actually secure,” explained Mark Hickman, COO, WinMagic. “Ironically enough, although confidence in the security of both private and public cloud environments is low, the enterprise is still not doing enough to protect its data. SecureDoc CloudVM is a wake-up call to the enterprise; data encryption should be the number one priority when it comes to implementing a sound approach to securing data stored in cloud environments.“

SecureDoc CloudVM, which is available for beta with a release in Spring 2016, is an extension of company’s solution SecureDoc and the recently announced SecureDoc CloudSync solution that encrypts files at the endpoint before they are synchronized to EFSS services across a range of enterprise platforms including: Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. With SecureDoc, customers have deployed the solution to manage BitLocker, a popular encryption method from Microsoft; BitLocker users that leverage SecureDoc are able to avoid the handful of issues related to encryption such as password-reset and user provisioning challenges. SecureDoc can also manage other encryption methods, such as Trusted Computing Group (TCG) Opal drives, Apple’s FileVault 2 and SecureDoc’s own FIPS 140-2 certified software encryption. SecureDoc is therefore compatible with the most advanced storage approaches and common OSs without experiencing any of the hassles typically associated with encryption management.

Spiceworks survey methodology
The WinMagic commissioned survey was conducted by Spiceworks in December 2015 to understand how organizations are securing data in cloud computing environments including perceptions of cloud security and the benefits and challenges associated with cloud services. The online survey was completed by 150 IT professionals in the United States. Respondents were required to work for organizations currently using, or planning to use, cloud computing services or solutions. Survey respondents also influence cloud computing and IT security purchase decisions within their company.