Beachhead Solutions Adds Self-Encrypting Drive Management to Its Web-Based Data Security Platform

At no additional cost, flagship product now offers seamless, centralized, and secure SED administration through the cloud

San Jose, California – January 19, 2017 – Beachhead Solutions, provider of cloud-managed PC & mobile device encryption, security and data access control for businesses of all sizes, today announced the immediate availability of self-encrypting drive (SED) orchestration capabilities for all customers and partners using its SimplySecure Management System. SED security is now fully included in the SimplySecure platform, with no changes to Beachhead’s transparent and cost-effective per-device pricing.

Businesses can oversee and control their SED-secured devices through the same web-managed console currently used for existing, non-SED devices. Beachhead’s SED management capabilities are built to allow customers to very easily retire older non-SED laptops and desktops that are due – or overdue – for replacement. Most PCs built over the last two years have actually included SED-capable drives, although PC makers typically deliver devices with encryption turned off. Businesses transitioning to newer SED-secured devices are protected by the same effective SimplySecure system proven to remotely safeguard a business’ sensitive data. Beachhead’s SimplySecure Management System supports self-encrypting drives on machines operating Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10, as well as the newest standards including OPAL 2.0, TPM 2.0, and Microsoft eDrive.

SEDs’ advantages over traditional data security methods – such as software-based full-disk encryption – are well-documented. Full-disk encryption (FDE) protects all data on a hard disk by either encrypting the entire volume as an application running above, or an element running at the operating system level, making it an effective-but-cumbersome task that requires significant strain on system resources in order to perform requisite encryption calculations (and can result in a slow and tedious user experience). In contrast, SEDs allow all encryption management tasks to be performed on the drive itself, with no reliance on other device components. This eliminates any impact on system performance; when enabled, the encryption process with SEDs is instantaneous and without installation. Effectively, a self-encrypting drive is always encrypted when not in use, and it remains locked if separated from its power source or device (thus also protecting data from hardware-level attacks).

SimplySecure will automatically detect which computers have SED capability and will engage that functionality, while seamlessly continuing to manage software-based encryption on computers that don’t have SEDs. Using Beachhead’s innovative approach of managing SEDs through the cloud with no software to buy, businesses receive a superior user experience that focuses on simple and seamless remote management of all mobile devices – including laptops. With SimplySecure, customers (or their managed service providers) implementing the solution have versatile access control capabilities at their immediate disposal. These controls enable administrators to automatically quarantine data, or wipe and restore user access on remotely located devices in the event that they become lost or stolen, or whenever user access must be quickly revoked for security reasons.

“SEDs offer a uniquely powerful technology for securing sensitive data right where it lives, on the drive itself,” said Jeff Rubin, Vice President, Strategy & Business Development at Beachhead Solutions. “We’ve taken notice and so too has the industry, with disk manufacturers now making nearly all of their magnetic and solid-state drive products SED-capable. At Beachhead, we’re proud to enable our customers to take full advantage of this critical data security safeguard by offering centralized self-encrypting drive management as part of SimplySecure’s robust capabilities and elegant user experience. With both SEDs and SimplySecure working to continually protect data, businesses can rest more easily knowing that their sensitive information is that much more secure.”

Championing the security and utility of this technology, Beachhead Solutions is a founding member of the Drive Trust Alliance, a leading storage security industry group focused on promoting the capabilities and usage of SEDs. 

About Beachhead Solutions

Beachhead Solutions offers first-in class data security with SimplySecureTM, the only web-based security platform that can enforce encryption and security policy. SimplySecure provides a multi-faceted approach – including remote data wiping and controlling access to at-risk data – for protecting sensitive company data on Windows and Mac PCs, iOS and Android phones & tablets, and USB Storage devices. SimplySecure is user-transparent and easily administered via a single unified management console.