New partnership makes it simple and cost-effective for auditing and accounting businesses to ensure POPIA compliance ahead of July 2021 enforcement

CAPE TOWN, South Africa – March 10, 2021 – Beachhead Solutions, provider of cloud-managed PC & mobile device encryption, security, and data access control for businesses and managed service providers (MSPs), today announced a strategic partnership with ITBlue Solutions. Pairing Beachhead’s built-for-MSP platform with ITBlue’s security-focused consulting and managed services better enables the Cape Town-headquartered IT provider to secure data and devices for the auditing and accounting businesses it works with across South Africa. Beachhead is a Silicon Valley-based security company working with MSPs and businesses around the world.

Following an extensive vetting process of the BeachheadSecure platform, ITBlue will now be working with Beachhead as its newest authorised MSP partner in the country. ITBlue will offer a managed service encompassing comprehensive data encryption and device access control to thoroughly safeguard sensitive data on auditor- and accountant-used devices. The Beachhead platform includes protections for Windows & Mac computers and laptops, USB storage devices, physical or virtual Windows Servers, and offers expanded mobile device management (MDM) capabilities for iOS & Android phones and tablet. All device management is cloud-based via the BeachheadSecure for MSPs™ platform.

According to Theuns Smuts, ITBlue: “Lax security safeguards and insufficient investments for properly protecting data remains far too common in the auditing and accounting industries. It is imperative that auditing and accounting firms – especially smaller ones, as well as independent accounting and tax practitioners – plug their vulnerabilities to protect and secure the sensitive and confidential data files stored on their devices. This also must include proper safeguards for the volume of third-party personal data from the legal entities and individuals (data subjects) they process to meet the requirements of the POPI Act.

”The clock is ticking as POPIA comes into effect in July 2021; businesses of all sizes need to be ready to comply. But even beyond POPIA, it is broadly known that businesses that embrace robust practices and responsibility for third-party data in their custody are at a major competitive advantage compared to businesses that do not. This is especially true when a practice can easily and adequately prove the measures in-place with appropriate and documented validations, either for compliance, contract conquests or client engagements. ITBlue aims to help the industry build trust and boost its clients’ competitive advantage this way.

"We've designed BeachheadSecure to be effective, practical, affordable, and transparent to the end user, to meet the needs of South African MSPs and their clients,” said Amit Parbhucharan, GM for EMEA & Asia at Beachhead Solutions. “To that end, we’re excited to now partner with ITBlue and to provide them and their audit, accounting, and tax industry clients with a trusted solution for data and device security. They have earned their reputation as an expert managed service provider and IT consultant for businesses across South Africa, and we’re glad to now be a part of their story.”

ITBlue has now begun rolling out the managed service to existing clients in South Africa. Any auditing firm or independent accounting or tax practitioner in South Africa can call ITBlue Solutions at  +27 21 880 2796 to activate the BeachheadSecure service, or visit www.itblue.co.za for more information.

About Beachhead Solutions
Beachhead Solutions offers first-in class data security to businesses and MSPs with BeachheadSecureTM, the only web-based security platform that can enforce encryption and security policy. BeachheadSecure 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. BeachheadSecure is user-transparent and easily administered via a single unified management console.

About ITBlue Solutions
ITBlue Solutions has been providing information technology services to medium-sized owner-managed businesses in South Africa and neighbouring countries for almost a decade. Its combination of specialist technical, accounting, and business knowledge and experience give ITBlue a distinct advantage over other run-of-the-mill IT service providers, as ITBlue is able to offer affordable strategic input, systems implementation, IT infrastructure and day-to-day IT support to clients depending on their specific needs.