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Blancco Ltd. is an international data security company that specializes in data destruction software and computer reuse management solutions for corporations, governments and computer remarketing companies worldwide. ^[1] Founded and headquartered in Joensuu, Finland, the company now operates worldwide with offices across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australasia.

Corporation

History and product evolution

Janne Tervo and Kim Väisänen launched Blancco Ltd. in 1997 as Carelian Innovation Ltd. Carelian’s major focus was security, particularly with regard to keeping personal data safe from theft and hacking. Two key product lines emerged: Protekto, an antitheft device for personal computers; and Blancco, a product for the secure wiping of hard disk drives.

In September 1997, a central hospital in Finland sold computers containing the medical records of over 3,000 patients. It was one of the largest data security incidents in Finland’s history and reinvigorated development of Carelian’s first data erasure tool, Blancco Data Cleaner. The first version of the product was launched in July 1999. This product's success prompted Carelian to sell other product lines and change its name to Blancco to focus solely on data erasure tools. Within a year, the number of Blancco users exceeded 100,000. ^[2]

After a July 2000 investment by venture capital firm Helment Business Mentors, Blancco was able expand its operations globally – and its product line to include solutions for computer lifecycle management. Blancco LAN Server was launched in November 2001 and expanded the company’s clientele to include recycling and refurbishing centers, auction houses, leasing companies and large-scale corporations.

By August 2005, the company's global user base exceeded 3 million. The company expanded its product line in 2008 with the introduction of the Blancco 4.5 client series for added server support, and the Data Center Edition, which enables safe reuse of the hard drives in mass storage environments for clients such as Sun, HP and EMC that need deep data expunging. ^[3] Today, the company continues to focus on data security and reaches a wide range of industries, including banking, finance, government and defense. Over 250 refurbishment centers worldwide have standardized on Blancco’s technology platform. ^[4]

Management team

Kim Vaisanen, Managing Director

Markku Jokiranta, Sales Director

Mikko Koponen, Product Director

Sari Tianen, Finance Manager

Ari Hakkarainen, Chairperson for Board of Directors

Kim Vaisanen, Board of Directors

Ari Kostamo, Board of Directors

Territories/Divisions

Europe

Joensuu, Finland (Head Office)

Helsinki, Finland

London, United Kingdom

Roubaix, France

Berlin, Germany

Ludwigsburg, Germany

Stockholm, Sweden

North America

New York, New York, USA

Marietta, Georgia, USA

Saratoga, California, USA

Oakville, Toronto, Canada

Asia-Pacific

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Hong Kong, China

Products

Blancco’s data erasure products scale from a single, reusable PC erasure tool to software for erasure requirements in mass storage environments and data centers. The various versions support erasure of different hardware configurations.

Supported hardware erasure

Certifications

Blancco’s products exceed international security standards and adhere to international certification processes. As early as 2003,^[5] Blancco’s Data Cleaner was the only data erasure utility to have passed confidential and top secret standards and be accredited as an HMG InfoSec-approved product by the Communications Electronics Security Group – the United Kingdom’s government information technology security regulators. Blancco’s security certificates and approvals include:

• United States Department of Defense
• National Security Testing Lab (NSTL)
• Communications Electronics Security Group: United Kingdom Information Technology Group (CESG)
• Defense InfoSec Product Co-Operation Group: United Kingdom Ministry of Defense (DIPCOG)
• Norwegian National Security Authority (NSM)
• The Polish Internal Security Agency (ABW)
• Netherlands National Communication Security Agency (NLNCSA)
• TUV Hannover/Sachsen-Anhalt (TUV) – a commercial organization dealing with technical safety, the commercial efficiency of plant and environmental protection.

General Intelligence and Security Service of the Netherlands (AIVD)

Standards

The following international standards are supported by Blancco software:

• Air Force System Security Instructions 5020
• Bruce Schneier's algorithm
• BSI (German overwrite standard by Federal Office for Information Security/ Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik)
• German Standard VSITR
• HMG Infosec Standard No: 5 (baseline) [Note: Certified versions: 4.5 HMG and 3.7r1
• HMG Infosec Standard No: 5 (enhanced) [Note: Certified versions: 4.5 HMG and 3.7r1
• Navy Staff Office Publication (NAVSO P-5239-26) for RLL
• NSA (Overwrite standard by National Security Agency)
• OPNAVINST 5239.1A
• Peter Gutmann's algorithm
• The National Computer Security Center (NCSC-TG-025)
• U.S. Department of Defense Sanitizing (DOD 5220.22-M, DOD 5220.22-M ECE)
• U.S. Army AR380-19

Awards

Data erasure tools from Blancco have garnered awards and accolades that include:

• October 2001: “Golden Key” Finnish Ministry of Trade and Industry
• October 2003: “Ohto” Finnish Security Group, FinnSecurity and Security Magazine
• January 2004: “2004 Industry Award for Commercialized Innovation” Finnish Software Industry
• May 2006: “2005 Export Prize” Finnish Chamber of Commerce, North Karelia Chapter

See also

• Data erasure
• Data remanence
• Computer recycling
• Data destruction

References and footnotes

1. ^ “Company Profile for Blancco Oy Ltd.,” Allbusiness.com, (2006-04-07)
2. ^ Blancco corporate data
3. ^ "Deep Data Erasure from Blancco,” FerrisResearch.com, (2008-09-04)
4. ^ Blancco website
5. ^ CESG

External links

• Blancco website
• Data erasure website
• The Communications Electronics Security Group