First Look

Keeping an eye on the prize: PrivateEye from Oculis Labs

Peter StephensonJuly 01, 2011

There was a day when a private investigator, or “private eye,” just was a detective. Not anymore. Today the term also applies to a neat program that protects a user’s screen from prying eyes, allowing for an occasional forgetful moment, such as when one fails to invoke the screensaver when headed for the coffee machine. Or it shows you the picture of someone behind you if they are shoulder-surfing at, say, an airport lounge. The thing about this PrivateEye, though, is that it is so simple in operation. That, of course, is one of its beauties.

See the full article here.

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Darkreading: Start-Up Offers Shoulder-Hacking Shield Of Software

New Windows desktop software employs facial recognition and detection to capture ‘peeping Tom’ hackers

April 12, 2011, by Kelly Jackson Higgins

You can have an encrypted session and employ all of the best security practices, but you can’t stop someone behind you from peeking at your computer screen and seeing sensitive information on display.

To address that, a Hunt Valley, Md.-based start-up called Oculis Labs today launched a shoulder-hacking protection product that blurs the computer screen when the user looks away, and captures any “peeping Toms” peering at the screen from over the user’s shoulder. The PrivateEye Enterprise software for Windows automatically detects when the user turns away and then blurs the screen so no other eyes can see the contents. When the user glances back at the screen, the display reappears. Both screen transformations each occur in less than one second.

See the full article here.

Oculis Labs Announces PrivateEye Enterprise to Prevent Visual Eavesdropping

Data Privacy Software Solution Delivers Central Management Capabilities that Enable IT Administrators to Actively Protect Computer Screen Data and Enforce Compliance Policies

Hunt Valley, Md. – April 12, 2011 Oculis Labs, a developer of data privacy software that protects mobile and desktop computers from visual eavesdroppers, today announced the immediate availability of PrivateEye™Enterprise. This new desktop security application employs facial recognition and detection algorithms with a standard webcam to actively protect information displayed on computer screens. PrivateEye Enterprise offers a cost-effective way to secure highly-sensitive information used by CEOs, CFOs, auditors, consultants, lawyers, doctors, investigators, HR personnel and other users seeking greater privacy as well as compliance with the federal computer fraud and abuse statute, 18 U.S.C. 1030.

IT Administrators can manage client policies from a standard Group Policy Management console and can tailor PrivateEye Enterprise policies for the entire domain, business units, or individual users. Importantly, this solution complies with Windows’ Server Group Policy allowing any Windows-based organization to add PrivateEye Enterprise seamlessly to its existing IT infrastructure. Key features of the solution include:

• Eavesdropper Detection – Detects and alerts the user whenever eavesdroppers try to read a display. Blurs the screen keeping information private and automatically resolves when risk clears. Users can automatically protect their screen and log the eavesdropper’s face for further action.
• Screen Protection – Automatically protects the screen whenever the user looks away from it. Instantly clears it again when the user looks back.
• Face Recognition – Authenticates and unlocks the computer with just a look at the user as well as locks the computer whenever the user leaves. If anyone else tries to get into the computer, the face recognition system keeps them out.
• Central Policy Management – Enables an IT administrator to deploy and manage security policies to all PrivateEye Enterprise clients using standard software and policy distribution mechanisms.
• Compliance Audit Logs – Each client logs security events and reports them centrally for IT management using standard Microsoft tools. These include when the product was active, when the system activated to protect the screen, and if there were unauthorized access attempts. It may also collect unique data including who was using the machine. Whenever a failed login attempt occurs, it captures a picture of the person sitting in front of the machine to the log. Optionally, IT administrators can choose to keep pictures of anyone attempting to eavesdrop on an authorized user.

“Regulated industries that are required to protect personally identifiable information, including healthcare, government, banking and financial services will find PrivateEye Enterprise can safeguard on-screen data well beyond traditional plastic filter approaches,” said Bill Anderson, CEO, Oculis Labs. “PrivateEye Enterprise also complies with the 2010 federal computer fraud and abuse statute that recently expanded the legal definition of computer trespassing to include information gained by looking at a computer screen that an individual was not authorized to view. Now, in the office or in public places, users can be protected at all times.”

Commercial and government organizations can purchase the PrivateEye Enterprise Starter Kit which consists of a single license good for 50 seats and the server-side components necessary to set up and manage those clients from a Microsoft Group Policy Management server. This includes one year of updates and technical support. When all 50 seats are used, an organization can purchase additional seat packs and will not have to reinstall anything – just update the license file and push the clients out to the additional desktops.

About Oculis Labs

Oculis Labs, headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland, develops data privacy software that secures the last two feet of the Internet – the distance from the computer screen to a user’s eyes. The company’s products protect valuable information displayed on mobile and desktop computers from unintended viewers. Today the company offers PrivateEye for consumers and the enterprise and Chameleon for government and military users. These two solutions safeguard all displayed information from visual eavesdropping. For more information, visit www.oculislabs.com.

Media Contact:

Evan Weisel

Welz & Weisel Communications

P: 703-218-3555

C: 703-628-5754

evan@w2comm.com

PC Magazine Gives PrivateEye a “Good” Rating

by Neil J. Rubenking

Thursday April 7, 2011

Go to PCMag.com for the full review

Oculis Labs Named a Finalist in all Categories of the Inaugural Angel Capital Association Silvertip Awards

Company Develops the Industry’s Only Security Software that ActivelyDetects and Protects Computer Screens and Monitors from Eavesdroppers While Working

March 30, 2011 09:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time

HUNT VALLEY, Md.–Oculis Labs, a developer of secure display software that protects computer screens and monitors from eavesdroppers, today announced it has been named a finalist in all three categories of the inaugural Angel Capital Association (ACA) Silvertip Awards. The company is a finalist for the HP Startup Central Award, honoring the top company that creates a new market or disrupts an existing market; the PwC Entrepreneurship Award, honoring entrepreneurship and fast growing companies; and the Luis Villalobos Award, honoring the most innovative ACA portfolio company in any sector.

The company offers two products – Chameleon for the high security market and PrivateEye for the government and commercial enterprise markets – that enable users to read confidential or classified information in a crowded room safely, without passive plastic screen filters or special viewing equipment.

• PrivateEye addresses the 300 million computers with webcams today, a market increasing at 37% per year according to research firm IDC. The software protects the data on computers used by CEOs, CFOs, auditors, consultants, lawyers, doctors, investigators, and HR personnel seeking greater data privacy. Regulated industries that are required to protect personally identifiable information, including healthcare, banking and financial services, total over 15 million employees in the US alone. Civilian and military government agencies with a need to protect confidential information total over 3.3 million workers. In every case, PrivateEye software can protect information displayed on screens and disrupt, expand, and replace the growing $250 million annual passive plastic privacy filter market.
• Chameleon addresses the current government market of 2.9 million users working with sensitive and classified materials as well as many large untapped new markets including multi-agency or multi-national facilities, embassies and consulates, command centers, tactical forward bases, and in-field mobile personnel where information is available on a need to know basis. Chameleon is significantly less expensive and more flexible than traditional options, and it solves the unmet need of protecting data in the field against electronic or physical surveillance and insider espionage threats.

“Oculis Labs has all the right ingredients for success – a proven management team, an aggressive business strategy and technology innovation that will disrupt the market and set the company apart from the competition,” said Mic Williams, founder of the Boston Harbor Angels. “We invested in Oculis Labs because their solution addresses compliance and legislative requirements for protecting sensitive on-screen data which is not being done by traditional plastic filters or other existing solutions. This is an untapped market and they are first-to-market which is an enormous advantage.”

Finalists represent the best and most successful ACA member portfolio companies throughout North America. Winners will be announced on April 5 at the ACA Summit taking place April 4-6 in Boston, Ma. The ACA Summit is the largest gathering of angel investors and angel groups in the world.

“We offer sophisticated software that competes with physical solutions like passive plastic privacy filters, TEMPEST protected computers and secured facilities at a lower cost, with greater flexibility, and with active eavesdropper protection that really catches the bad guys,” said Bill Anderson, CEO, Oculis Labs. “Being selected as a finalist for these awards demonstrates that our value proposition is striking a chord with the judges who can all probably relate to addressing the privacy concern of protecting confidential data on their screens – such as judging information.”

About the Angel Capital Association

The Angel Capital Association (ACA) is the trade association of leading angel investment groups in North America. ACA’s mission is to support the growth, financial stability and investment success of its member angel groups by sharing best practices and industry data, providing professional development, and promoting group membership, networking and collaboration. ACA’s membership includes more than 150 angel groups and 20 affiliate members from 41 US states and 6 Canadian provinces. These groups represent more than 7,000 angels and are funding approximately 800 new companies each year and managing an ongoing portfolio of more than 5,000 companies throughout North America. More information is available at www.angelcapitalassociation.org.

Corporate Boilerplate

Oculis Labs, headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland, develops computer display technology that secures the last two feet of the Internet – the distance from the computer screen to a user’s eyes. The company’s security software enables users to protect the valuable information displayed on their desktops and laptops from unintended viewers. Today the company offers PrivateEye for consumers and the enterprise and Chameleon for government and military users. These two solutions safeguard all displayed information from visual eavesdropping. For more information, visit www.oculislabs.com.

Oculis Labs Releases PrivateEye 3.1: Simplicity and Performance

Hunt Valley, MD– December 17, 2010

Today Oculis Labs announced the availability of PrivateEye version 3.1. This significant upgrade to the popular PrivateEye product is a major improvement in all aspects . The latest release features improved speed and quality, and a streamline user interface.

The user interface is sleeker and simpler. Instead of setting individual parameters, users can now just right-click the taskbar icon and choose a “Normal” or “High” security setting. These presets eliminate the need for most people to use the settings screen any more. Users can simply select “Normal” and forget about it. The preset levels are appropriate for most typical uses.

For those who like to have a bit more control, the reorganized Settings panel groups security, user management, and options features together in an intuitive way. With a few clicks you can add new users, manage protection preferences, and webcam settings.

The new Wizard feature runs the first time you start PrivateEye. It takes you through a few setup steps, adds you as the authorized user, and ensures everything is working properly. We’ve learned a lot from our customers about the things users can get hung up on, and think the new Wizard is going to help people have a great first experience. What’s good is that you can re-run the Wizard if you encounter an issue later with your system.

Behind the scenes, this new release is faster and smarter about serving you and catching eavesdroppers. PrivateEye learns about you and your environment and automatically adapts to give optimal performance. The new power management feature conserves batteries by sensing and adjusting the performance level to the current power condition.

There’s some fun in the product too. Have you ever wondered how often someone has tried to sneak a look over your shoulder? PrivateEye keeps track of that now and can tell you if you want to know. You might be surprised how often it happens. We’ve also kept the ever-popular “Boss Mode” feature that makes it look like you’re doing your work instead of surfing the web when your boss comes by.

You really should give PrivateEye 3.1 a try, even if you’re happily using an earlier version. Anyone running version 3.0 can simply run the version 3.1 installer to upgrade. Customers running earlier versions should contact support@oculislabs.com for upgrade instructions.

Anyone interested in checking out the new release can download a free 30 day trial here. This is the full-featured version of the product, and can be converted to a commercial license later.

Oculis Labs Wins American Security Challenge 2010

Washington D.C. – September 24, 2010

“Moving Innovation to Market” was the appropriate theme for this year’s American Security Challenge. Headlined by Governor Tom Ridge, first Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, this year’s event was excellent. General Keith Alexander, Director, National Security Agency and Commander of the United States Cyber Command received the Patriot Award, and other presenters from government and industry gave a good overview of current plans and issues.

Oculis Labs was chosen out of a strong field of 150 companies who develop technologies for critical government missions. This year saw a sharp increase in attention as the organizers attracted additional sponsors and focused on connecting award winners with large industry sponsors who have pilot project opportunities. Attendees at the event featured a mix of entrepreneurs, investors, acquirers, strategic partners and government customers.

Bill Anderson, CEO, Oculis Labs, received the award and gave a short presentation on how Oculis Labs protects classified and proprietary information against disclosure with its Chameleon and PrivateEye products.

Oculis Labs selected one of 15 GBTC’s “Hottest Tech in Town”

Hunt Valley, MD– September 21, 2010

Oculis Labs Releases PrivateEye 3.0

Hunt Valley, MD– July 29, 2010

Major new release of groundbreaking computer display protection technology

Hunt Valley, MD–July 29, 2010 – Oculis Labs is pleased to announce the immediate commercial availability PrivateEye 3.0, the only software solution capable of protecting computer screens against eavesdroppers. First released in 2009, PrivateEye has been adopted in the financial, consulting, and healthcare industries as a secure, convenient and cost-effective tool to ensure the security of proprietary and regulated information.

For more information on PrivateEye or to obtain a Free Trial, please visit www.oculislabs.com.

About Oculis Labs, Inc.

Oculis Labs is a developer of unique security applications for protecting computer displays against eavesdropping. Oculis Labs’ patent-pending technology protects government and enterprise information against the widespread risks of shoulder-surfing, social engineering and sophisticated technical attacks.

2010 News & Press

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