Rapid growth comes as organisations and managed service providers select Beachhead’s web-based SimplySecure platform for device security

Johannesburg, South Africa – July 28, 2016 – Beachhead Solutions, provider of cloud-managed PC & mobile device encryption, security and data access control for businesses of all sizes, today reported 288% year-over-year growth in its licensing of the company’s SimplySecure platform in South Africa. This near tripling of licenses in the past twelve months comes as businesses seek to improve their device security posture ahead of South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI) commencement and the appointment of a Regulator.

Beachhead has expanded its partner network in the region to include two African distributors and a pan-IMEA distributor, alongside a network of 28 MSP and IT reseller partners that spans South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Mauritius, Kenya, and the UAE. The company is also in the process of expanding its profile to South African SME accounting users and will soon launch a marketing partnership with EasyBiz QuickBooks.

The POPI Act gives individuals control over how South African organisations are allowed to collect, store and share their personal information – and holds those organisations responsible for the security of that data. While POPI enforcement will not begin until an official government regulator is in place, recent developments toward that appointment have driven businesses to accelerate their preparations to comply with the law. The shortlist of appointees of the regulator has been finalized, and interviews and workshops have already commenced for the regulator appointment. The expectation is that the regulator will be in place by the end of 2016.

In this environment, Beachhead’s SimplySecure has flourished as a practical, affordable, and effective solution for organisations investing in data security and encryption. SimplySecure distinguishes itself in the device management market through its ability to safeguard information access even when the device goes “off-network” – vital for any lost or stolen laptops and USB storage devices. When a device containing sensitive data is compromised (or potentially compromised), organisations using SimplySecure are able to revoke access to the device, or remotely quarantine or delete data from the device if necessary. SimplySecure remains transparent to users, allowing employees and IT staff to maintain productivity.

“Part of our decision to select Beachhead for our mobile and workstation data encryption – and to assist us in our POPI compliance strategy – was due to its implementation simplicity and user experience,” said Ralph Hopkins, Head of Information Technology at the South African law firm Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Inc. “Other data encryption solutions we looked at where difficult to set up and even harder to manage. We desired a solution that would not interfere with our users and their productivity in any way, but that would still give us the high level of security and audit reporting we require. Beachhead’s technology has helped us greatly in our security and POPI compliance efforts.”

“Importantly, SimplySecure provides the controls to protect organisations from data exposure – controls that will be absolutely required once POPI enforcement commences,” said Amit Parbhucharan, Beachhead Solutions’ GM for India, the Middle East, Africa and Mauritius. “However, improving device security and protecting sensitive, confidential information is not just an important step solely in preparation for the POPI Act – it’s a best practice for any business. Early investment in affordable, quick-win tools is seen as a worthwhile spend by the CIOs and CFOs who are currently approving the purchase of SimplySecure, and who have been citing marked increases in stakeholder and customer confidence as well.”   To learn more about Beachhead’s SimplySecure solution, visit https://www.beachheadsolutions.com/our-products/.  

About Beachhead Solutions

Beachhead Solutions offers first-in class data security with SimplySecureTM, the only web-based security platform that can enforce encryption and security policy. SimplySecure provides a multi-faceted approach – including remote data wiping and controlling access to at-risk data – for protecting sensitive company data on Windows and Mac PCs, iOS and Android phones & tablets, and USB Storage devices. SimplySecure is user-transparent and easily administered via a single unified management console.