Security First Corp
 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Founded | Rancho Santa Margarita, California, United States (2002) |
| Founder | Mark O'Hare |
| Fate | Sold to ESW Capital in 2020[1] |
| Headquarters | 29811 Santa Margarita Pky, Ste 600 Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 |
Key people | Jim Varner (Director, president and chief executive officer) |
| Products | Information assurance and data security, SPx technology, ParsedCloud software |
| Website | http://www.securityfirstcorp.com |
Security First Corp was a Rancho Santa Margarita, CA information assurance and data security company. The company held over 250 patents for software defined data security,[2][3] including its Secure Parser Extended (SPx) technology, which encrypts and randomly splits data into multiple segments, storing them in different locations.[4] This technology is also called bitsplitting.[5]
The company declared bankruptcy in 2020, and was sold to ESW Capital.[1]
History
Security First Corp was founded in 2002[6] by Mark O'Hare, a 26-year navy veteran[7] who had served as Program Executive Officer of the US Navy Aircraft Carrier Program.[2]
In 2008, information technology company Unisys integrated Security First's Secure Parser technology into its Stealth brand software for Windows servers and desktops.[8]
In June 2009, the company acquired Silicon Valley-based DRC Computer Corporation (DRC), a developer of acceleration coprocessors. Security First was reportedly using DRC's products for an information security appliance, and planned to operate DRC as a wholly owned subsidiary.[9]
In August 2011, IBM announced they were integrating three of Security First's cryptographic technologies into its next generation of chips, to increase their security.[10]
In December 2014, Security First released SPxSHARC for VMware's vCenter Server, running on VMWare's ESXi hypervisor.[11]
In 2015, IBM announced it was using Security First's SPxBitFiler-IPS encryption technology to allow IBM's PureApplication System virtual pattern deployers to encrypt on-disk data. The technology is also licensed by IBM for its Cloud Data Encryption Service (ICDES).[4][12]
The company declared bankruptcy in 2020, and was sold to ESW Capital.[1]
Products
Security First's core product was Secure Parser Extended (SPx) technology, which encrypted data, scrambled it randomly and dispersed it to different locations.[13] The technology combined AES-256 certified encryption, multi-factor secret sharing with keyed information dispersal, and cryptographic random bit-splitting. The solution is compliant with common government and industry data protection standards and security requirements.[7]
The company developed SPx SHARC, a security suite designed for multi-site data protection, SPx Gateway, a data protection solution designed to protect data stored across multiple cloud computing service providers, a process the company calls "Cloud Spanning",[14] and ParsedCloud, a file transfer application that encrypts, splits and transfers data between multiple sites, available in free and fee-based versions.[2]
Media coverage
In December 2014, former Apple CEO John Sculley was interviewed on Fox News and called Security First's bitsplitting technology a "gamechanger".[5]
Funding
In a December 2014 SEC filing, the company announced it had raised $29 Million from sales of debt and equity, from undisclosed investors.[15] In an April 2016 SEC filing, the company announced it had raised an additional $36 Million from sales of debt and equity, also from undisclosed investors.[16]
Subsidiaries
The company operated DRC Computer corporation as a wholly owned subsidiary.[9]
References
- ^ a b c "Software Maker Security First Files for Bankruptcy". The Wall Street Journal. September 2, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Security First: Disruptive innovation redefining data security". cioreview.com. Retrieved 2016-04-28.
- ^ "Patents by Assignee Security First Corp". justia.com. Retrieved 2016-04-28.
- ^ a b "Security First Corp: Game Changing Technology: Software Defined Data-Centric Security". cioreview.com. Retrieved 2016-04-28.
- ^ a b "Making sense of a rollercoaster economy". foxnews.com. 2014-12-21. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
- ^ "Company Overview of Security First Corp". bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2016-04-28.
- ^ a b "Security First Corp. Aims to Eliminate Customer Data Risk". loyalty360.com. 2014-10-20. Retrieved 2016-04-28.
- ^ "Windows workgroups get encrypted sessions". techworld.com. 2008-12-03. Retrieved 2016-04-28.
- ^ a b "Security First Acquires Coprocessor Firm". socaltech.com. 2009-06-08. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
- ^ "IBM seeks cloud encryption with Security First tie-up". zdnet.com. 2011-08-01. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
- ^ "IBM seeks cloud encryption with Security First tie-up". cloudstrategymag.com. 2014-12-17. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
- ^ "IBM Encryption Pattern for Security First SPxBitFiler-IPA". ibm.com. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
- ^ "Staying at the forefront of cybersecurity". foxbusiness.com. 2015-03-24. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
- ^ "Security First Corp: SPx Technology: Advanced Data Security Assured". cioreview.com. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
- ^ "UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION:Form D". sec.gov. 2014-12-23. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
- ^ "UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION:Form D". sec.gov. 2016-04-22. Retrieved 2016-04-29.