Document security firm expands into USA

13th December 2006

A MERSEYSIDE-based firm that protects its clients against ‘electronic invisible ink’ blunders – where sensitive information can be leaked via computer – has won its first US contract.

3BView in St Helens produces a programme called 3BClean, which effectively clears documents of ‘metadata’ – the hidden information stored in electronic documents.

The business received a £30,000 loan from Merseyside Special Investment Fund’s Small Firms Fund. The money has enabled 3BView to maximise its sales and marketing potential and win new clients.

Metadata hit the headlines in recent years in a variety of high-profile cases. Charles Clarke unintentionally revealed government indecision on new anti-terror laws when ‘track changes’ made to a document were revealed. Just deleting them is not enough – their record remains, and in the wrong hands, such sensitive information can be misused.

In a similar leak, Google unintentionally spilled company secrets via a slide notes presentation. Other organisations – including AT&T – have also revealed information after thinking it has been blacked out.

California-based law firm Stone Rosenblatt Cha recently became their first Stateside client, and negotiations are underway for more business with law firms across America.

Cathy Brode is CEO of 3BView. She says: “We live in an age where sending documents electronically is the norm, not the exception, and it is frighteningly easy to reveal information unintentionally.

“Many documents keep a record of changes that have been made to them; deleted sections, and a log of who added what and when – not information that you would necessarily want to have exposed. 3BClean prevents that, and it is based on the server, not the individual PC, so any client who installs it for their company has automatic protection.”

3BView has clients across the UK and in Europe, and now hopes to continue its expansion into the USA. By 2008 turnover is projected to be around the £2m mark, with staffing levels expected to grow from the present level of four.

Paul Humphray, Investment Manager at the Small Firms Fund, said: “3BView offers products that are very important in the modern world, and becoming more so each day as businesses and organisations become more and more dependent on electronically communicating with each other and the public. We were pleased to offer our support to allow the business to win new clients.”

Ends

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