Santa Barbara County Safeguards Data with Erasure Software

  • Oct 22, 2010

As with many government entities, a top priority for California's County of Santa Barbara (CSB) is protecting the personally identifiable information (PII) of constituents and employees. For CSB, this includes nearly half a million residents, 4,000 county employees, and thousands of businesses.

To avoid leaking sensitive data from information technology (IT) assets like PCs and servers, CSB's IT group carefully tracks assets from purchase through retirement – a challenging task given the county's decentralized structure. As part of its asset lifecycle management strategy, CSB turned to Blancco for a failsafe, verifiable way of removing data prior to asset disposal or reuse.

Certified data erasure software from Blancco provides CSB with the most advanced overwriting technology for 100 percent data removal, while offering detailed audit reports for IT policy enforcement. Although the software is centrally managed and administered by CSB's core IT group, it also supports local execution over the LAN.

"Certified data erasure software provides the county with consistency across the board in how data is removed, supported by industry best practices in data removal algorithms," said Daniel Milei, CSB's chief security officer and assistant director of IT. "In addition, the BlanccoReports.com website allows IT to manage the various CSB departments and create a hierarchy of users with specific erasure credentials and privileges for viewing reports."

CSB uses data erasure software for IT equipment that is reassigned to another department, donated to schools or charities, or permanently retired. Currently, around 30 CSB employees have privileges to erase IT equipment, but security officers in each department can assign additional staff for the task when necessary.

"From a best practices and liability protection standpoint, I am absolutely convinced that the county has greatly reduced the potential for data leaks, and the use of data erasure software has played an essential part in improving security processes," Milei continued. "Blancco not only enables our processes, it provides us the assurance that we are doing the best possible job in removing data."

Featured

  • Progressing in Capabilities

    Progressing in Capabilities

    Hazardous areas within industries like oil and gas, manufacturing, agriculture and the like, have long-sought reliable video surveillance cameras and equipment that can operate safely in these harsh and unpredictable environments. Read Now

  • A Comprehensive Nationwide Solution

    A Comprehensive Nationwide Solution

    Across the United States, manufacturing facilities, distribution centers, truck yards, parking lots and car dealerships all have a common concern. They are targets for catalytic converters. In nearly every region, cases of catalytic converter thefts have skyrocketed. Read Now

  • Planning for Your Perimeter

    Planning for Your Perimeter

    The perimeter is an organization’s first line of defense and a critical element of any security and surveillance program. Even if a building’s interior or exterior security is strong, without a solid perimeter surveillance approach any company or business is vulnerable. Read Now

  • The Key Issue

    The Key Issue

    It is February 2014. A woman is getting ready in her room on a cruise ship when she hears a knock on the door; it is a crewmember delivering breakfast. She is not presentable so she tells him to leave it by the door. Read Now

Most   Popular

Featured Cybersecurity

New Products

  • Genetec Security Center

    Genetec Security Center

    This major new release allows more system components to run in the cloud, reducing the gap between cloud and on-premises security systems. It also makes it easier to connect external systems and tap external data for use in dashboards, maps and investigations without relying on complex, specialized integrations. 3

  • VideoEdge 2U High Capacity Network Video Recorder

    VideoEdge 2U High Capacity Network Video Recorder

    Johnson Controls announces a powerful recording solution to meet demanding requirements with its VideoEdge 2U High Capacity Network Video Recorder. This solution combines the powerful capabilities of victor with the intelligence of VideoEdge NVRs, fueled by Tyco Artificial Intelligence, for video management that provides actionable insights to save time, money and lives. 3

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation. 3