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LONDON, UK, 21th April 2009, - BlockMaster, a provider of secure removable data devices, today announces a two-year exclusive contract to distribute over 100,000 SafeSticks to NHS hospitals across the UK. The SafeSticks will provide complete security for all removable storage through military grade hardware encryption, and will be distributed through seven public sector procurement hubs.

West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust is one of over 100 UK hospitals using SafeSticks to protect portable data. It also installed BlockMaster’s management suite, SafeConsole, to monitor activity on USB sticks six months ago. Other hospitals using the SafeSticks include the George Elliot NHS Hospital Trust in Warwickshire and the Aintree University Hospital NHS Trust.
The SafeSticks which have been installed by Softek, a leading IT Security, Storage and Archiving Solutions distributor, will provide the NHS with complete protection through mandatory password protection and automatic hardware encryption and timer Lockdown functionality which locks SafeStick if there is no user activity for a configurable period of time, preventing data loss if they are lost or stolen. SafeConsole will provide users with full control, remote life-cycle management and device enhancement, with features including remote password recovery, customised password policy, audit for compliance, portable authentication tokens and productivity tools.

Robert Howorth, Senior Technical Architect at West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust, comments: “We were faced with the constant challenge of keeping our data safe, but also ensuring staff can work remotely to increase efficiencies. The security of patient data is of paramount importance to us, so we needed a device that could provide complete protection against theft or loss. We also wanted the peace of mind that devices could be centrally managed, locking down and wiping data should a device become compromised. We have been delighted with SafeConsole and SafeSticks so far as they are simple to use, which increases adoption and provides reassurance that data is protected no matter where it is.”

Daniel Östner, CEO at BlockMaster comments: “The number of unsecure USB sticks lost each year is a problem we cannot sweep under the carpet. We need to be proactive with USB security and not wait for a breach to happen until we think about it.

“It’s fantastic news to see that the NHS is leading the way with USB security. The introduction of best-practice and diligence by organisations will protect sensitive data on portable devices and prevent embarrassing, as well as costly data breaches.”

Mike Bienvenu, Technical Director, Softek concludes, “Critical data loss is on every IT Director’s mind, and with a frightening 66 per cent of all USB sticks being lost or stolen, data stored on memory sticks simply has to be encrypted – the challenge has been achieving this quickly and easily without employee re-training or disruption.”

BlockMaster and Softek are continuing the roll-out of SafeSticks at more NHS hospitals, local government departments, Education establishments and corporates. In addition to this BlockMaster is adding new features to SafeStick and SafeConsole, which will be announced at InfoSecurity Europe 2009.

- ENDS -

About BlockMaster
Since the first release of SafeStick® in early 2004, BlockMaster has the longest successful track record of delivering secure USB Flash Drives in the world.
BlockMaster delivers full management capability for the administrator and a world-class user acceptance experience for the end-user. From rollouts at Fortune Global 2000 customers we know that the implementation of SafeStick® and its systems is swift, cost-efficient and easy on the end-user.
BlockMaster is headed out of Lund, Sweden with additional offices in Stockholm.
SafeStick® is a registered BlockMaster brand. http://www.GetSafeStick.com/

About The West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust
The West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust came into being on April 1st, 1993. It serves an area of approximately 600 square miles which extends to Thetford in the north, Sudbury in the south, Newmarket to the west and Stowmarket to the east. This encompasses a population of approximately 275,000.

The West Suffolk Hospital itself was founded in 1832, moving to its new site in Hardwick Lane in 1973. It was the first of a new design of hospitals to be known as “Best Buy” hospitals. This was the first standard design to combine a compact and economical hospital to meet modern purposes. http://www.wsh.nhs.uk/

About Softek Ltd
Softek is a UK value add distributor (VAD) for IT Security, Archiving and Storage solutions and services.
Softek’s vast technical expertise, and customer service in the field of IT Security is legendary, providing a full range of training and support services to Reseller Partners comprising of ASP/MSP’s, VAR’s, Consultants and System Integrators.
Since inception in 1994, Softek has advocated a comprehensive approach to information security. http://www.softek.co.uk

Press contacts:
Mital Joshi / Kate Mills
Rocket PR
T: +44 (0) 8453-707-024
E: blockmaster@rocketcomms.net

40% of over 100 office workers surveyed by BlockMaster have lost a USB stick at some point, and nearly two-thirds (64%) have left a drive unprotected in a PC, exposed for anyone to potentially access or steal. Meanwhile, ignorance seems to bliss, as nearly a third (30%) of office workers have no idea whether the USB sticks they are leaving around are secure.

The proliferation of USB sticks means this represents a growing problem, globally more than 20 million are lost a year. More than a third of workers (35%) store more than 20 files on their USB sticks, meaning that the loss of a single USB stick can expose a high volume of sensitive corporate information.

Daniel Östner, CEO, BlockMaster said: ”A careless attitude towards USB security appears to be rife amongst British workers, and it means organisations are extremely vulnerable to the threat of data breaches, where IP could become compromised and reputations damaged. Managing the security risks associated with removable storage is one of the biggest challenges faced by IT departments today – protecting data outside the corporate perimeter is no longer an option, but a necessity to prevent data breaches.

Johan Söderström, Chief Technology Officer at BlockMaster continues:
”The evolving internet landscape, brings with it a host of threats to businesses, which are already under pressure to protect corporate assets. To ensure peace-of-mind, it is imperative mobile devices have the necessary protection to fight these threats.

“To stay ahead of these threats we have included within our SafeStick and SafeConsole an Authorised Autorun feature, which prevents organisations being hit by malicious attacks, such as the Conficker worm.”

SafeConsole 3.3, the management software for SafeStick, will be unveiled at InfoSecurity Europe this year, with the following new features to ensure maximum workforce productivity and organisational security:

File Blocker
File Blocker anti-malware can be configured in SafeConsole to put data storage policies, such as banning certain file formats (MP3s and executables) for storage and also terminating executables, such as trojans and malware applications. The Publisher feature enables white-listed applications and content to be securely deployed.

EasyShare
Users are able to share individual files on the SafeStick by creating a temporary password to access the file, thus keeping all other files inaccessible and hardware encrypted when sharing. This unique feature enables users to share documents securely on untrusted machines without exposing the main secure storage area password or files.

Auto disabling
Data at rest on USB sticks is often neglected, but SafeStick will now automatically disable if lost or its whereabouts to the company is unknown for a configurable period of time. This provides greater control for organisations over removable data and removes the burden of manually locking and wiping information.

Certificate Carrier
This feature will enable SafeStick to double-up as a mobile authentication token, targeting organisations that have deployed a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and need to provide digital identities for mobile workers.

Mac OS availability
SafeStick is now compatible with the Mac operating system, extending its availability from PC to Mac users. With traditional Mac users including architects and media industry executives, SafeStick will ensure that concepts and designs that provide competitive edge are always protected.

SafeConsole 3.3 and SafeStick will be showcased at this year’s InfoSecurity Europe – visit BlockMaster at stand P75 for a demonstration. All present SafeConsole customers are eligible for an update.

-Ends-

About BlockMaster
BlockMaster provides complete control of your USB drives. SafeStick® offers mandatory password protection and always-on encryption of all stored data. SafeConsole® enforces management control over SafeStick USB drives on an enterprise scale with remote life-cycle management and device enhancement such as remote password recovery, customised password policy, audit for compliance, portable authentication tokens and secure portable application delivery.

SafeStick is available worldwide through distribution in over 40 countries and is trusted to serve the versatile security needs of Fortune Global 500 businesses, government agencies, police and military. Thousands upon thousands of people worldwide have made the switch and choose to protect their privacy and sensitive information with SafeStick.

Further information
Rocket PR
Mital Joshi/Alex Brooks
blockmaster@rocketcomms.net
+44 (0) 8453 707 024

Full event schedule

We wanted a solution that would help reduce the number of service desk calls we get regarding issues with data storage.

The data strategy is intended to help alleviate the threat of identity fraud and involves the installation by Network Defence of 500 SafeStick USB flash drives for use by employees who routinely transfer data.

Take the chance to become one of the first to see SafeConsole 3.0.

SafeConsole® is a complete device-management solution that provides administrators with a single point of control for all SafeStick® USB flash drives within an organisation.

With SafeConsole, your SafeStick drives come to life, providing your company with enforced security and increased productivity.

In the past, enforcing file storage policies used to put a strain on IT departments. Now, IT professionals can use SafeConsole to manage SafeStick drives, effectively giving them back control and security, all without any hassle.