OMB M-06-16

GuardianEdge Technologies Inc., a market leader in reducing the cost and complexity of enterprise data security, released a White Paper for federal government agencies working to comply with the June 23, 2006, computer security memorandum issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB M-06-16) regarding the state of information security for Personally Identifiable Information (PII). The GuardianEdge White Paper, “Protecting Remote Information,” provides the information help federal agencies need to meet the August 2006 deadline for compliance, including guidance not found in original OMB memo.

The OMB issued memo M-06-16 in response to the recent laptop computer theft at the Office of Veterans Affairs, which placed nearly 27 million U.S. veterans and active service personnel at risk of identity theft. In the memo, the OMB specifically asks all federal agencies encrypt personally identifiable information under their control within 45 days using guidelines developed by the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST). The purpose of this recommendation is to compensate for the lack of physical security controls when data is removed or accessed from outside agency locations.

While the OMB memo sets forth clear objectives for protecting remote information, the GuardianEdge White Paper provides specific descriptions of how to effectively respond to each action item listed in the OMB memo and NIST security checklist, using widely accepted data protection best practices.

This OMB White Paper is available for download on the GuardianEdge Web site. Further information about the OMB directive can also be found by visiting the GuardianEdge OMB Solutions page for Federal Agencies .