It happens more than most people realize—whether with malicious intent or to satisfy their natural curiosity, people can’t resist catching a glimpse of someone’s personal affairs transpiring on the screen of a nearby computer laptop, smartphone or some other device. “Shoulder surfing” is on the rise and with some serious implications, especially when confidential information is on the line. Over the course of a plane or subway ride, seasoned phone and laptop snoopers can gather bits and pieces of data that expose private financial, health, work and personal information. Credit card and social security numbers, street addresses—anything that’s entered into a phone or computer can be stolen by voyeurs with a good eye. A recent study from NYU found that 73% of survey respondents indicated they had seen someone else’s confidential PIN without them knowing. Shoulder surfing can happen anywhere, not just at ATMS, and mobile devices are today’s prime culprits.
We’ve reached a new level of cybercrime. We rely on our mobile devices to carry on just about everything in our day to day—banking, shopping, working, communicating. The more we use these devices to send and receive data, the more vulnerable they become to hacking. It’s time to do something about it, and Rain Technology has developed a unique Switchable Privacy technology to tackle the problem head-on.
Certainly, standard screen protectors and privacy apps have been available for some time; Rain’s ingenious Switchable Privacy solution takes the concept to the next level. A unique combination of hardware, software and technology, Rain’s proprietary e-privacy enablement is far smarter and more convenient and effective than run-of-the-mill optical films; plus, its operation is customizable and completely transparent to the end-user; for example, activating automatically when certain predetermined files and documents are accessed or with a simple click of a button. “Our privacy mode could kick on when a lawyer or doctor pulls up the particulars from a court case or health procedure, for example,” says Rain Technology CEO Dr. Robert Ramsey. Only what’s presented directly in front of the user is bright, clear and readable, anyone looking at the screen from the side sees nothing but black screen. There’s no compromise in performance to achieve better cybersecurity, Rain made sure of that. Its Switchable Privacy solution maintains peak performance in optical clarity, color and luminance in both bright and dark environments.
Currently, Rain’s Switchable Privacy feature is available on select laptops from Hewlett-Packard. Consumers can choose a laptop with the technology as a standard feature or as a nominal upgrade. There’s plenty more in store for this revolutionary solution. According to Ramsey, OEM partnerships with leading smartphone manufacturers are in the works, with Switchable Privacy enabled models likely to hit the market in the near future. As it does for laptop OEMs, Rain designs its privacy solution for the unique footprint and display requirements of each smartphone model to ensure optimal performance, ease of use, and protection of passwords, email addresses, credit card information and other sensitive data.
It’s not just portable displays that Rain is focused on. One of the most compelling applications is the integration of Switchable Privacy into automotive displays. Rather than protecting data, however, in this case, the technology helps protects lives. Operating in a similar manner to Switchable Privacy in smartphones and laptops, only certain portions of the information displayed inside the cabin are visible to the driver while the car is moving. This prevents the driver from becoming distracted while allowing the passenger to view a movie, for example. “Distracted driving has become such a serious issue that many countries are implementing new legislative safety standards,” says Ramsey. “Our technology aims to meet these legislative requirements by providing drivers and passengers with a range of solutions to control the direction and luminance level across infotainment displays.”
Rain’s leading-edge visual security technology holds great promise for the future of directional displays for premiere consumer and automotive brands. OEMs working with Rain can bring an important new feature set to customers, differentiate their product line and fight cybercrime with a solution that’s easy to deploy, market and use.
