Click here for the whitepaper.

Last month I was invited to participate in the launch of the Dutch National Cybersecurity Center in the Hague. Our host was KPN, the leading telecommunications and IT service provider in The Netherlands. KPN Corporate Market (previously known as Getronics) offers global IT services and is particularly focused on delivering cloud-based services to their customers.

We were fortunate to be included in a set of live demonstrations by a new consortium of security companies pulled together by KPN called the Dutch Cloud Initiative.   KPN has a unique and strong vision of “the new work”  as the Dutch put it, where employees are free to work anywhere, reducing environmental impact, travel time, and office costs,  while increasing employee satisfaction and productivity.    The key to the system is not just a robust cloud application architecture but an integrated security architecture that supports productivity while ensuring security in these much broader and more challenging distributed working environments.

It’s a really non-trivial exercise to figure out how to deliver reliable services to millions of workers, many of whom are handing sensitive proprietary and government secret documents.  Still, the Dutch have a long history of well-planned, well-executed complex projects that just have to succeed.   Dutch culture tends to value careful and serious planning, consideration of many possible variables and worst-case scenarios, and of involving large groups of people in designing, evaluation and implementing these kinds of solutions.  A country that took back significant fractions of its landmass from the sea and must remain constantly vigilant to protect it’s below-sea-level infrastructure can teach us a thing or two about long-term planning.

Oculis Labs fits into the cloud equation extremely well because the cloud extends traditional office work well outside traditional boundaries.  There are no walls an organization can rely on to protect information on-screen, and it does not matter how much money you spend on disk encryption and VPNs if your secrets are on display for anyone to read on the train, the coffee shop, or the home office.

I’m looking forward to my next trip back to the Netherlands when I’ll be meeting with some new partners and customers.

Fort Meade as Cyber Hub Turns Maryland Into a Startup Hot Spot

By Nishad Majmudar - Jan 30, 2012 12:02 AM ET

Bill Anderson passed up Silicon Valley and opened his technology startup in central Maryland, even though it lacked the prestige and signature names such as Apple Inc. and Google (GOOD) Inc.

One draw for the founder of Oculis Labs Inc. four years ago was the growing market for cybersecurity and intelligence work connected to Fort Meade, the Army base that is Maryland’s (BEESMD) biggest employer and home to the National Security Agency. The opportunities have multiplied with the additions of the U.S. Cyber Command in 2010 and the Defense Information Systems Agency last year.

The hub has attracted hundreds of companies, including dozens of startups, seeking a share of the federal government’s increased spending on cybersecurity, Rick Geritz, chief executive officer of Cyberhive.org, a website that tracks the state’s technology companies, said in an interview. Federal spending on cybersecurity is expected to rise 40 percent to $14 billion in 2016 from an estimated $10 billion this year, according to Deltek Inc., a Herndon, Virginia-based research company.

“I don’t know if this business would have been successful if we had done it anywhere else,” Anderson, a 45-year-old cryptologist whose company has gone from three employees to 10 since 2010. “We don’t have to think about whether the meeting is going to pay off. We just get in the car and go down the road. There’s a bunch of potential.”

Northrop Partnership

Anderson previously worked for SafeNet Inc., an information security company in Belcamp, Maryland. He said in an phone interview that he wanted to locate his own company, Oculis Labs, near skilled workers and potential customers, including the agencies at Fort Meade. He put it in Hunt Valley, about 40 miles from the base, a sprawling 5,000-acre complex between Baltimore and Washington with about 42,000 military and civilian employees, including more than 12,000 contractors.

Oculis is also close to partner Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC), which is helping to market Oculis software that detects computer eavesdropping. Northrop, based in Falls Church, Virginia, works with the University of Maryland at Baltimore County to commercialize startup technologies, including Oculis’s product.

See the full article here at Bloomberg.

Fort Meade as Cyber Hub Turns Maryland Into a Startup Hot Spot

By Nishad Majmudar - Jan 30, 2012 12:02 AM ET

Bill Anderson passed up Silicon Valley and opened his technology startup in central Maryland, even though it lacked the prestige and signature names such as Apple Inc. and Google (GOOD) Inc.

One draw for the founder of Oculis Labs Inc. four years ago was the growing market for cybersecurity and intelligence work connected to Fort Meade, the Army base that is Maryland’s (BEESMD) biggest employer and home to the National Security Agency. The opportunities have multiplied with the additions of the U.S. Cyber Command in 2010 and the Defense Information Systems Agency last year.

The hub has attracted hundreds of companies, including dozens of startups, seeking a share of the federal government’s increased spending on cybersecurity, Rick Geritz, chief executive officer of Cyberhive.org, a website that tracks the state’s technology companies, said in an interview. Federal spending on cybersecurity is expected to rise 40 percent to $14 billion in 2016 from an estimated $10 billion this year, according to Deltek Inc., a Herndon, Virginia-based research company.

“I don’t know if this business would have been successful if we had done it anywhere else,” Anderson, a 45-year-old cryptologist whose company has gone from three employees to 10 since 2010. “We don’t have to think about whether the meeting is going to pay off. We just get in the car and go down the road. There’s a bunch of potential.”

Northrop Partnership

Anderson previously worked for SafeNet Inc., an information security company in Belcamp, Maryland. He said in an phone interview that he wanted to locate his own company, Oculis Labs, near skilled workers and potential customers, including the agencies at Fort Meade. He put it in Hunt Valley, about 40 miles from the base, a sprawling 5,000-acre complex between Baltimore and Washington with about 42,000 military and civilian employees, including more than 12,000 contractors.

Oculis is also close to partner Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC), which is helping to market Oculis software that detects computer eavesdropping. Northrop, based in Falls Church, Virginia, works with the University of Maryland at Baltimore County to commercialize startup technologies, including Oculis’s product.

See the full article here at Bloomberg.

Hunt Valley, Md. – December 13, 2011– Oculis Labs, a developer of data privacy software that protects mobile and desktop computers from visual eavesdroppers, today released results from its “Mobile Worker Privacy” survey focused on identifying privacy concerns when using laptop computers for mobile work. 105 people were randomly surveyed, and of those surveyed, 90 percent are concerned about people looking at private information on their computer displays in public places. That said, 89 percent of these individuals have not installed any type of security solution to protect the data displayed on their computer screens.

While protecting data on computers is top of mind for everyone, most organizations are focused on conventional security technologies such as anti-virus software, personal firewalls and spam filters. Few organizations have solutions to address the vulnerability of their computer displays. Not only is looking at another person’s computer screen a violation of privacy and a profitable way to acquire confidential information, it is now prohibited by a new federal computer fraud and abuse statute (18 U.S.C. 1030).

The impact of individuals not protecting data on computer screens has serious financial consequences for businesses. In 2008 the U.S. Secret Service and CERT at the Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute performed an in-depth study of insider incidents at a wide variety of government, financial, IT and telecommunication entities. Their study revealed that 42% of incidents began with simple observation of unprotected computer screens, resulting in an average cost of $400,000 per incident.

The Mobile Worker Privacy survey also found 83 percent of respondents admitted to using a computer in a public place with confidential information on their computer screens. The top four data types exposed in public places, in order, are:

1. Corporate proprietary information (77 percent)
2. Financial data (53 percent)
3. Credit card information (52 percent)
4. Social security numbers (32 percent)

“The results of the survey are clear: people need a privacy solution to stop visual intruders from looking at their screens,” said Bill Anderson, CEO, Oculis Labs. “Despite strong privacy concerns, people are not aware of the latest security products available to secure their information and maintain corporate compliance with regulations. When an eavesdropper can steal valuable information in mere seconds by looking at a computer screen, it is time to upgrade your security approach.”

Oculis Labs offers a next-generation data privacy software solution for companies with a mobile workforce and who have to comply with data privacy regulations. PrivateEye Enterprise is a data security and compliance software product that protects computer screens against data leakage while enabling employees to work normally. In contrast to screen savers and plastic filters, PrivateEye Enterprise actively protects information against exposure and produces a positive audit trail showing proof-of-protection.

To download the 30-day free trial, visit: http://www.privateeyeenterprise.com/free-evaluation/

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 and Weisel Communications

(703) 218-3555

evan@w2comm.com

Program Offers Partnership between Northrop Grumman and the Advantage Incubator@bwtech with Goal of Commercializing Technology to Protect the Nation from Cyber Threats

Baltimore, MD – November 29, 2011 – Oculis Labs, a developer of data privacy software that protects mobile and desktop computers from visual eavesdroppers, today announced its acceptance into the Northrop Grumman Cync Program. This program, part of the Cyber Incubator at bwtech@UMBC, evaluates and supports product-based companies that develop new tools to protect the cyber and technology related security systems that our nation relies upon on a daily basis. In addition to its current office space in Hunt Valley, MD, Oculis Labs will now have a presence in the Cyber Incubator at the bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park enabling the company to access business, technical, and financial advisory resources from both bwtech@UMBC and Northrop Grumman.

There are nearly 400M mobile business and government workers worldwide and three quarters of workers in the U.S. are mobile, working in shared or public spaces, often reviewing and utilizing confidential information. 89% of all people admit to reading over someone else’s shoulder, the easiest way to compromise data. To address this ongoing problem Oculis Labs offers two products – PrivateEye and Chameleon:

•  PrivateEye is a data privacy software solution that protects mobile and desktop computers from visual eavesdroppers. This new desktop security application employs computer vision, facial recognition and detection algorithms with a standard webcam to actively protect information displayed on computer screens.
•  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 should be available on a need-to-know only basis. Chameleon solves the unmet need of protecting data in the field against electronic or physical surveillance and insider espionage threats.

“Oculis Labs develops unique cyber-security products to protect personal, commercial and government computer systems from visual eavesdropping,” said Bill Anderson, CEO, Oculis Labs. “Joining the Cync Program gives us a considerable business advantage as it allows us to work closely with Northrop Grumman and UMBC to further our product development and identify go-to-market strategies. The program’s business and technical resources, physical proximity to Ft. Meade, the NSA and DISA, and the access to UMBC’s IT graduates make the Cync Program a real asset to Oculis Labs.”

“We are excited to welcome Oculis Labs to bwtech’s growing community of cybersecurity companies,” said Ellen Hemmerly, Executive Director, bwtech@UMBC. “The company has developed 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. Their team now has access to UMBC’s extensive research and resources as well as onsite support from senior representatives from Northrop Grumman that will provide technical and business advisory services to further the development and market readiness of Cync company technologies.”

About UMBC

UMBC ranks fourth among U.S. research universities in the production of IT degrees and certificates, and it is the largest producer of such graduates among research universities in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. The campus offers a master’s degree and a graduate certificate in cybersecurity, and it is rated a Center of Excellence in information assurance education and research. Thousands of UMBC graduates work in the intelligence community for key federal agencies and private partners. For more information visit: http://www.umbc.edu

About bwtech@UMBC

Located adjacent to UMBC’s campus, bwtech@UMBC is a 71-acre research and technology community that is home to nearly 90 technology and life science companies, including 25 cybersecurity and 25 life science companies. For more information visit: http://www.bwtechumbc.com

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 Contacts:

Alexandra Gold
Administrative Coordinator, Cyber Incubator and Cync Program
bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park
P: 443-543-5047
alexandragold@umbc.edu

Evan Weisel

Welz & Weisel Communications for Oculis Labs

P: 703-877-8100

evan@w2comm.com

By Mike Lennon on September 12, 2011

Oculis Labs, a developer of data privacy software that protects mobile and desktop computers from visual eavesdroppers, today announced a partnership agreement with In-Q-Tel (IQT), the not-for-profit, venture capital arm of the CIA. The company said In-Q-Tel’s relationship and investment would help it accelerate Oculis Labs’ success in both government and commercial markets.

There are nearly 400M mobile business and government workers worldwide and three quarters of workers in the U.S. are mobile, working in shared or public spaces, often reviewing and utilizing confidential information. 89% of all people admit to reading over someone else’s shoulder, the easiest way to compromise data. To address this ongoing problem, the Hunt Valley, Maryland based company offers two products – PrivateEye and Chameleon:

• PrivateEye is a data privacy software solution that protects mobile and desktop computers from visual eavesdroppers. This new desktop security application employs computer vision, facial recognition and detection algorithms with a standard webcam to actively protect information displayed on computer screens.

• 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 should be available on a need-to-know only basis. Chameleon solves the unmet need of protecting data in the field against electronic or physical surveillance and insider espionage threats.

See the full article here.

Tobii is always working on dramatic improvements, but with such broad markets to serve they are very busy trying to develop different systems for their existing customers.  Clearly their strategy is working for them, as they are the largest gazetracker vendor, and are continuing to grow rapidly.  Unfortunately for us, this has meant their OEM product line has not advanced, at least until now.

Barbara Barclay, Tobii General Manager, and Peter Tiberg, Business Development Manager, showed us some really interesting new products this time.  In addition to some expected developments in their OEM line (no spoilers here, sorry), we got another hands-on with their new laptop-embedded gazetracker.   I’ve mentioned this laptop before, and if you’d like a look at it check out this video.

We’ll be keeping an eye on Tobii to see if they come through with the products on their roadmap.  If they do, it means a dramatic step forward for the state of the art.

By John P. Mello Jr., PCWorld    Sep 14, 2011 6:19 AM

The CIA takes such a dim view of people peeking at computer displays while someone is working that the agency is investing in Oculis Labs, a company that makes software to prevent prying eyes from gleaning any information from computer screens. [correction to article: IQT is the investor - Bill]

The spy agency is investing in Oculis through a nonprofit investment company called In-Q-Tel that was chartered in 1999 by a group of private citizens at the request of the director of the CIA and with the support of Congress. It was launched in response to the agency’s desire to increase its access to private sector innovation.

In a statement announcing its partnership in Oculis, In-Q-Tel said it was making a “strategic investment” in the software maker. The amount of that investment wasn’t revealed.

According to In-Q-Tel, peering over someone’s shoulder to read information on their computer screen is one of the easiest ways to steal sensitive information and one widely available to spies. Some 75 percent of all workers in the United States are mobile and work in environments — public or shared places — where their computer screens could be targeted by prying eyes.

What’s more, even if a snoop is caught in the act by a user, they can easily plead innocence since eavesdropping on a neighbor’s computer display is so common. Some 89 percent of people admit to reading over someone’s shoulder in a public place, according to In-Q-Tel.

See the full article here.