 "Verizon Expands SME Suite Of Encryption Services")
To make it easier and more affordable for small and medium-sized businesses to help protect their data across multiple devices, Verizon is expanding its encryption service to cover documents as well as e-mail.
The new service, Encrypted Docs, enables the user to encrypt files and folders and determine who can access, read and write to the file or folder, enforcing privacy policies. As a result, important data - such as intellectual property, customer records, contracts, human resource files and highly sensitive negotiations - can be safeguarded via encryption.
“Typically, small businesses do not have the IT staff of large enterprises to manage the complexity involved with encryption services” said Mark Grosso, senior manager of business security products for Verizon. “Verizon is like a SMB’s CIO, offering small and medium-sized businesses an affordable, cost-effective suite of important Internet security services such as anti-virus protection, a remote backup and storage solution, and encryption services that will help ensure safeguarding the privacy of business’ data at every level. Plus, we offer our SMB customers 24 x 7 technical support.”
For the encryption service, a user registers and downloads one plug-in for Encrypted Mail and Encrypted Docs. Before sending an e-mail message, users just click on the “Secure” button on their toolbar, and their message - along with any attachments - is immediately encrypted, digitally signed and sent to the recipient. If the recipient is another registered Encrypted Mail user, the user can open the message after entering his or her password.
“An organisation needs to address its IT security at every layer, Grosso said. “While cost cutting is what all companies - particularly, the smaller ones - strive for these days, it’s important to not cut privacy solutions. That’s a surefire way to kill a business.”