Working from an office can be complicated at the best of things, and things look set to get more so with a new tool aimed at protecting screens from unwanted eyeballs of all kinds.
Laptop Switchable Privacy from Rain Technology is aimed at so-called Tier 1 manufacturers like Apple, Dell, HP, Huawei and Lenovo, and looks to protect screens against hackers and people snooping, especially in vulnerable settings like cafes, planes, trains, subways and taxis.
Of course, LSP also works within the office and at home - Rain Technology is targeting enterprise IT departments, which would gain the ability to effectively control who can see a laptop's display and who can't, all with the click of a button (or a few buttons).
Beyond software security
The company says its tool is available with a Share Mode and a Privacy Mode to set the angle and degree of privacy, depending on the specific needs of the customer.
“Manufacturers who utilize this technology will be providing the highest level of device data security on the market, building strong brand affinity and fostering trust and loyalty,” explained Rain Technology CEO Robert Ramsey.
“This is a winning proposition for both enterprises and consumers that prioritizes security and privacy and also benefits laptop, tablet and monitor manufacturers by providing differentiated, best-in-class security for their customers.”
A lot of the focus of enterprise IT departments goes to software security – and rightly so, especially as phishing emails and other types of hacks become more common. But there is another side to things: the actual physical device.
In recent years, we've seen Google and other companies share physical hardware keys to help with online log-ins and to ensure that people are who they say they are. And in some ways, Laptop Switchable Privacy is an extension of that mindset.
The company says that when a laptop screen is "secured", the only thing a potential hacker or snooper can see is metallic, black, or feature Display Screen Branding, which Rain Technology describes as an etched logo design.
In terms of the tech powering LSP, Rain says it holds the patent for "creating a thin, embedded proprietary layer within the liquid crystal module of a display screen", meaning that it goes beyond simply adding a software layer to laptops. At its peak, there can be as little as 0.3% screen visibility from a 45° viewing angle.
Rain says LSP is compatible with standard LCD displays, and plans to soon support OLED, Micro-LED and Nano-LED displays.
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