The idea behind Pittsburgh-based BitArmor is that companies need to protect data--not just the devices that store it.
Founded in 2003, BitArmor was the brainchild of Dr. Patrick McGregor and Matthew White, who first met as undergrads at Carnegie Mellon University. After getting some real-world experience under their belts, McGregor and White put the latest research to the test by creating a data-centric security system in the form of software that protects data as it travels from place to place.
BitArmor's DataControl tm software is unlike traditional data protection systems that only deal with information at specific points; instead, DataControl attaches a Smart Tag tm directly to the data itself, allowing companies to secure, track and control it wherever it goes. BitArmor calls this "persistent file encryption," and claims it simplifies and reduces the cost of data security and data management.
Their clients and observers in the tech world seem to agree. In October 2008, BitArmor won first place in the Information Technology category of the Pittsburgh Technology Council's annual
Tech 50 Awards. The year before, BitArmor was a recipient of the Computerworld Horizon Awards Program for cutting-edge technologies. The company has grown from two to 30 employees in recent years.