Breakthrough technology stops onlookers from snooping at your screen

PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 14, 2015 — HP and 3M today announced a collaboration to integrate 3M privacy screens into HP’s security-focused, award-winning notebook PCs.

“With more and more PCs being used in public places, visual hacking – the act of collecting confidential information by looking at someone else’s screen – is a paramount security risk in today’s business environment,” said Alex Cho, vice president and general manager, Commercial PCs, HP. “We’re working with 3M to deliver world-class solutions that not only protect the privacy of the individual user, but also provides security for valuable company assets.”

“Visual hacking is a growing problem and 3M is investing in technology that can stop prying eyes,” said Herve Gindre, vice president and general manager, Display Materials and Systems Division, 3M. “By integrating our technology into the displays on HP notebooks, businesses will be able to address this concerning security threat and users will be able to get a privacy solution that can easily be switched on to help prevent visual hacking.”

In today’s highly mobile world, notebook users never know who is looking over their shoulder. Visual hacking is the act of gathering information or credentials by visual means. In a recent Ponemon Institute survey, close to 90 percent of attempts to steal sensitive business information using only visual means were successful. Compromised information included contact lists, customer information, corporate financials, and employee access and login credentials.⁽¹⁾

The planned commercialized product from the HP and 3M relationship is an innovative technology that integrates the privacy function directly into the notebook display, creating an on demand electronic privacy solution. This innovative display technology is intended to give customers a secure solution to keep on-screen data protected and out of sight.

(1) “3M Visual Hacking Experiment”, Ponemon Institute, 2015, sponsored by 3M and the Visual Privacy Advisory Council.

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