Visible Statement Security Software

When CIOs let employees use screen savers to display family photos or their kids’ artwork, they’re missing a valuable chance to spread the word about important security issues, says Russ Mumford.

“Companies are extremely limited in terms of resources, especially when it comes to security,” says Mumford, president of GreenIdea, a San Francisco-based software developer. “There’s a resource on every PC that has tremendous potential for communication.” GreenIdea’s Visible Statement software replaces screen saver images with animations that contain customized corporate security messages.

Aldo Neverez, information security policy manager at California Independent System Operator in Folsom, Calif., started using Visible Statement in 1998. “We wanted to help keep security awareness at the forefront of our employees’ minds,” Neverez says. He uses Visible Statement to display messages on 20 topics such as password security and antivirus tips.

An enterprise license for Visible Statement starts at $795 and includes four animations. Mumford says a company’s security awareness campaign should include more than just using Visible Statement. The software works best in conjunction with other modes of communication such as posters, e-mail alerts and voice-mail messages.