The New Guidance Software Brand

On November 4th, Guidance Software launched our new brand, aligning our value and expertise with our customers’ needs for a trusted partner that provides confidence in their chaotic, fast-paced world. Our new story is built on the invaluable feedback we received from our customers and channel partners. The feedback we’ve received has been overwhelmingly positive and we thank all our partners for their comments and candor.

We encourage you to learn about our new story, and leverage our new sales and marketing assets. Here’s a quick guide to our resources:

- View the replay of our new brand unveiling for our channel partners
- Visit our Brand Center and download our current logos and co-branding guidelines
- New sales battlecards have been posted in our Partner Portal.

We realize good communication is an important part of building sales with our partners, and communicating the value we provide our customers. If you have any comments or questions, please let us know. We'll be glad to help.

Announcing Changes to Our Pricing

Guidance Software is announcing pricing changes to our products, effective December 1, 2015. These changes will positively affect the revenue and margins our partners will earn from sales of our software, and better reflect the value Guidance Software solutions provide our customers.

Three major changes:

- With the exception of EnCase® Forensic, each product has received a list price increase based on the value derived though competitive and market research

- EnCase® Enterprise will now be sold on a banded node basis, similar to EnCase® eDiscovery and EnCase® Endpoint Security

- We have changed the messaging and packaging for Unlimited Component Licenses:

- To avoid confusion created by use of the word “Unlimited” we have changed the name to “Uncapped Component License (UCL)”
- We will now separately price UCL for each product line to better reflect its value to the customer.

All new quotes will use the new pricing and no new quotes for existing pricing will be allowed or processed after December 1st. Resellers can log-in to the Guidance Software Partner Portal and view the new price list now.

We will honor in-process quotes issued prior to December 1st, 2015.  Once a previously-issued quote has expired, a new quote with the new pricing will be issued.

We realize that existing customers and prospects with outstanding quotes may have questions about this price increase. Please work with your Guidance Software sales representative or Channel Account Manager to manage these questions.  You may also email us with any questions.

EnCase Endpoint Security Version 5.10 now available

Guidance Software has released EnCase® Endpoint Security version 5.10. We have focused this release on reducing the time required by security teams to triage and validate alerts from a rapidly growing number of internal security tools and external threat-intelligence sources.

In Version 5.10, EnCase Endpoint Security focuses on synthesizing workflow for security teams with:

- Support for the Indicator of Compromise (IOC) searching of YARA rules, allowing teams to search for known IOCs and identify threats validated by internal or external industry source

- Integration with Splunk Enterprise to collect and present trusted endpoint telemetry automatically when a security alert is generated, ensuring faster decisions and a dramatic reduction in false positives for security teams

- File reputation checking from Last line, allowing security analysts to validate threat artifacts of suspect files directly within EnCase, accelerating the decision process

- The EnCase Integrated Threat Toolkit (EITT), which adds reach to 15 critical open-source tools and integrates additional functionality for incident responders

- Remediation of the complete threat, including malicious files, derivatives, and persistence mechanisms, preventing re-exposure to the same malware.

“Security teams cannot tolerate inefficiency in their daily activities. We’ve worked to solve this by increasing interoperability between the tools they use most often and by delivering fast access to trusted endpoint data,” said Roger Angarita, director of product management at Guidance Software. “Our customers demand continuous innovation that meets them right where they live and work.”

For more information on pricing, packaging and upgrades, please contact your Channel Account Manager or Guidance Software sales representative.

Sales and Pre-Sales Technical Training Now Available – Become a Certified Partner

Online sales and pre-sales technical training on our EnCase Enterprise, EnCase Endpoint Security, and EnCase eDiscovery products is now available on the Guidance Software Partner Portal. In our Global Partner Program guidelines, resellers are required to complete this training and pass an online exam to attain “Certified” status. Becoming a Certified Reseller offers many benefits, including higher margins on sales of software and services, access to Guidance Software sales resources, and lead-sharing and development activities through co-marketing activities.

Our online training for sales and pre-sales professionals takes you through the different aspects of identifying opportunities for selling EnCase products, positioning our solutions, overcoming objections, and completing a demonstration of our capabilities for end-user prospects. This comprehensive training is completed online at your own pace.

Certification training is required for all resellers to maintain elevated status in our partner program. Log-in to the Partner Portal and click on the Training & Certification link to begin your training and complete this critical program requirement. Contact your Channel Account Manager or email us with any questions.

Guidance Software EnCase Endpoint Security Earns 5-star Rating in SC Magazine Review

Earlier this month, Guidance Software’s EnCase® Endpoint Security earned five stars in SC Magazine’s September 2015 Endpoint Security Group Test. Reviewers praised Guidance Software for its unique forensic approach to endpoint security, documentation, support and performance.

As part of the endpoint security group review, SC Magazine tested 10 endpoint security solutions. The review stressed Guidance Software's forensic background and capabilities, noting the solution"... takes the position that once you have an exfiltration problem, the best way to meet the emergency is forensically. That's a very interesting approach and it has a lot to recommend it."

SC Magazine claimed that EnCase Endpoint Security "... can tell you things about an attack that nothing else can." It noted that the solution has two functions – threat detection and incident response automation – enabling organizations to establish a baseline and conduct periodic security audits. The reviewers also praised the solution's integration capabilities, noting that it can exchange information with QRadar, FireEye, Palo Alto, Intel Security, Sourcefire and Cisco ThreatGrid.

EnCase® Endpoint Security helps incident response teams:

- Detect unknown threats that evade perimeter technologies using endpoint data
- Rapidly prioritize, validate and determine the scope of any event or threat
- Assess the scope and impact of a compromise
- Return devices to a trusted state without the need to wipe and reimage

SC Magazine's review can be found online at: http://www.scmagazine.com/guidance-software-encase-endpoint-security/review/4422/.

For more information about EnCase Endpoint Security, click here.

New Distribution Relationships: Infinigate and Westcon

Along with the enhancements to our Global Partner Program we announced in the last month, we have also partnered with two new distributors: Infinigate and Westcon. Both companies are focused on supporting IT security resellers and bring a wealth of value-added services to build our partners’ business.

We signed Infinigate to support and grow our security business in the United Kingdom. As a true Value Added Distributor, Infinigate concentrates on and supports innovative, best of breed security solutions that require a higher-level of expertise and knowledge. They are a key component in our strategy to grow security sales in the UK. You can learn more about Infinigate and get started with them here.

Our new partnership with Westcon in North America was the next step in our Channel First initiative. With their focus on security and networking solutions, Westcon is ideally-positioned to assist our partners grow their sales of our EnCase® Endpoint Security and EnCase® Enterprise products. If you currently purchase other security products from Westcon, you can request a quote and purchase our solutions from them today. You can set-up a new account with them by completing the Westcon Enrollment Form.

Combined with the launch of our new program features, the Westcon partnership showcases our commitment to our channel partners. As Jay Ackerman, our Chief Revenue Officer explains, “When I joined Guidance Software, they had been making a shift to sell through the channel, but the problem I saw when I came on board was they hadn’t gone all the way…their behavior and actions led channel partners to scratch their heads at times and question Guidance’s commitment to them. We have worked hard in the last seven months to strengthen that commitment.”

We’re not finished with improving our partner program, and you’ll see more announcements from us in the very near future. Keep an eye out for our “Channel News Your Can Use” emails and future blog posts, as there’s much more exciting news to share.

Guidance Software and Cisco Partner For Integrated Threat Intelligence and Incident Response: The EnCase Partner Update - Q2 2015

The family of EnCase technical partnerships continues to grow, as Guidance Software has collaborated with Cisco ThreatGrid, creating the industry’s first fully-integrated solution for threat intelligence, incident response and remediation.

The combined offering of ThreatGrid and EnCase can assist security teams to:

·         Immediately validate the efficacy of a detected information security event

·         Expose and analyze unknowns operating inside the enterprise

·         Aggregate internal and external threat intelligence

·         Zero-in on the source and full scope of threats

·         Remediate malware without taking systems offline.

Learn more about the EnCase integration with Cisco ThreatGrid by reviewing our solution brief.

Introducing Patrick Dennis, Our New President and CEO: The EnCase Partner Update - Q2 2015

Guidance Software has appointed Patrick Dennis as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective May 1, 2015. Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Barry Plaga, will remain with the Company in the role of Chief Financial Officer.

Before joining Guidance Software, Mr. Dennis was a Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer – Products and Marketing at EMC Corporation. During his 12-year tenure with EMC, Mr. Dennis held executive roles in sales, services and engineering. Most recently, Mr. Dennis was responsible for the strategy and operations of EMC’s Cloud Management Division. Previously, Mr. Dennis was the Group Vice President of North American Storage Sales for Oracle Corporation, where his responsibilities included providing leadership, strategy, and development of the company’s North American commercial business.

 “Guidance Software has a solid technology platform and market-leading forensics, eDiscovery, incident response and digital investigations products,” said Patrick Dennis. “I look forward to working with the team to develop a clear leadership position across those markets by putting in place well-defined product, sales and marketing strategies. This will elevate the company and its products, enabling us to successfully expand into new markets, and ultimately lead to consistent success in the future.”

Learn more about Patrick’s vision for Guidance Software’s future by viewing his keynote at CEIC 2015 here.

New Pricing for EnCase Software, Services and Support: The EnCase Partner Update - Q2 2015

Guidance Software is excited to announce changes to our EnCase® products and pricing, effective May 1, 2015. These changes accurately align the price of EnCase products with their value to customers, and positively affect the revenue and margins our partners will earn from sales of our software.

The changes include:

• We are introducing EnCase® Endpoint Security, combining EnCase® Cybersecurity for incident response and sensitive data discovery, and EnCase® Analytics for proactive detection of unknown threats. This new product will provide a complete solution for Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), and allow us to offer superior functionality when compared to our competitors.

• Guidance Software is increasing prices on our Enterprise products, including EnCase Analytics, EnCase Cybersecurity, EnCase® eDiscovery, and EnCase® Enterprise software, effective May 1, 2015.

• We are introducing a new pricing tier with our Enterprise products for end-user customers with 2,000 to 5,000 endpoints, creating new sales opportunities for our products in the mid-market.

• Prices are also increasing for Guidance Software® professional services and training classes.

• Required components (SAFE, examiners, concurrent connections) have been aligned to enhance basic usage and installation requirements.

• Guidance Software will no longer offer an upgrade path from EnCase® Forensic to EnCase Enterprise.

The new price list and SKUs have been sent to our distribution partners. Resellers can view the new price list by logging-in to the Guidance Software Partner Portal.

New Product: EnCase® Endpoint Security Now Available: The EnCase Partner Update - Q2 2015

Guidance Software has combined our industry-leading products EnCase® Analytics and EnCase® Cybersecurity and created EnCase® Endpoint Security. Our new product offering provides a complete solution to help security teams proactively address the gaps in their security framework, detect unknown risks or threats, respond to any events for validation, and recover endpoints to a trusted state through remediation – all within a single solution addressing the needs of our customers.

With EnCase Endpoint Security, you can:

·         Collect, aggregate and baseline all endpoint activity

·         Proactively address the gaps in your security framework

·         Detect unknown risks or threats even before data exfiltration has begun

·         Respond to any events for validation

·         Automate the recovery of endpoints to a trusted state through remediation

EnCase EndPoint Security can be integrated with any security technology for automated incident response. Out-of-the-box integrations are available for market-leading security solutions, including:

·         Blue Coat Security Analytics

·         Cisco ThreatGRID

·         Cisco Sourcefire

·         FireEye MPS

·         HP Arcsight

·         IBM QRadar

·         Palo Alto Wildfire

Click here to download the EnCase Endpoint Security product brochure.

Introducing Channel First at Guidance Software: The EnCase Partner Update - Q2 2015

One of Guidance Software’s most-critical priorities for 2015 is to create a program that allows us to win business with our channel partners. We are proud to announce the upcoming launch of our “Channel First” Initiative, a committed partnership program that justifies our partners’ investment with Guidance Software and rewards your efforts and dedication selling EnCase software and services.

The Channel First Initiative marks the next step in Guidance Software’s move towards a channel-centric business. Beginning this quarter, new EnCase sales opportunities will be worked through reseller partners collaboratively. Our sales and support teams will actively engage with resellers who have dedicated resources to help Guidance Software capture the rapidly-growing Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), E-discovery, and internal investigation markets.

The new Guidance Software Partner Program features:

·         Discount structures based on certification, with higher margins for resellers who become certified

·         Online sales and technical pre-sales certification training

·         Deal registration

·         Access to NFR licenses

·         Support from Guidance Software sales and technical resources

·         Market Development Funds (MDF)

Online sales certification will be available in the Partner Portal on July 1, 2015. Resellers who complete online training will secure deeper discounts on EnCase software and gain access to valuable program resources, including support from our Channel Account Managers and sales teams.

Look for our official announcement and launch on July 1st. Contact your Guidance Software Channel Account Manager or sales associates for additional details, or contact us at channelhotline@guidancesoftware.com  

You’ve Got to Join Us at CEIC 2015

CEIC is the largest conference focused on incident response, cybersecurity and digital investigations. This year’s conference will feature cybercrime expert Brian Krebs as the keynote presenter. And to show we’re serious about having our reseller partners in attendance, we’re offering several great incentives:

- Representatives from any of our authorized reseller and distributor partners can attend CEIC 2015 for just $450 USD (not including travel and expenses). That’s over half-off the current registration fee! Register today at encase.com/ceic and enter code: RsLrXT15. Please note: this code is for reseller and distributor representatives only.

- We will host a series of sessions exclusively for our reseller and distributor partners on Monday, May 18th. Our channel will learn about the latest enhancements to our partner program, get a sneak peak at EnCase 8, and meet the entire Guidance Software channel team at the show.

- Finally, we’re offering a free pass to our authorized resellers if two of their end-user clients register to attend CEIC 2015. Their clients can save $100 each on their registrations as well.  Any partner interested in participating in this offer needs to contact the channel team and receive a unique registration code for their customers.

You can view full details on our channel promotions for CEIC by clicking here. These offers are valid through May 1, 2015.

Call to action: Register to attend CEIC 2015 today. You’ll learn critical techniques and methods for incident response and cybersecurity that you can use with your customers right away.

Questions? Please contact your Channel Account Manager or email us.

Join Us for CEIC 2015 – May 18-21 in Las Vegas: The EnCase Partner Update - Q1 2015

CEIC is coming back to Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.  Guidance Software reseller and distributor reps can attend for just $450 USD (over 50% off the regular price)! And for the first time, we're hosting an exclusive partner track.

Representatives from any of our authorized reseller and distributor partners can attend CEIC 2015 for just $450 USD (not including travel and expenses). Register today at encase.com/ceic and enter code: RsLrXT15  This code is for reseller and distributor representatives only.

On Monday, May 18th, we will host a series of sessions exclusively for our reseller and distributor partners. Learn about the latest enhancements to our partner program, get a sneak peak at EnCase 8, and meet the entire Guidance Software channel team at the show.

We are also offering a unique discount code for your customers to save $100 on their CEIC 2015 registration, and an incentive for you to encourage your clients to attend:

Send Us Two End-User Registrants, Get One Pass Free: Invite your customers to save $100 per person on registration by using a unique discount code. For every two (2) customers who register with your code, you will receive (1) complimentary pass to CEIC 2015 that can be used by an employee or customer of your choice. If you earn a complimentary pass after you purchase a registration, we will be happy to refund the original purchase price to you. This offer is valid through May 1, 2015.

Contact us to take advantage of this special promotion and receive your company’s custom registration code for CEIC 2015.

Why CEIC Can’t Be Missed

Here are just a few reasons that CEIC is a must-attend event:

- World-class speakers: Learn from some of the most well-known and innovative experts on the planet as they lead sessions and labs at CEIC
- Exclusive hands-on labs: Deepen your understanding of EnCase® techniques and technology in hands-on labs not found at other digital investigations conferences
- Unparalleled networking opportunities: Connect with your peers and industry experts during lab sessions, breaks, and special social events
- Discover the latest technology: Get an inside look at state-of-the-art technology and services in the Exhibit Hall.

For more information, including travel details, please view our website: encase.com/ceic

Gartner Names Guidance Software the Market Leader in Endpoint Detection and Response: The EnCase Partner Update - Q1 2015

Gartner has named Guidance Software #1 in endpoint detection and response (EDR) in its first competitive landscape study on this market.
 
Learn more about the value of EDR and why Gartner named Guidance the leader by downloading the report. EnCase® EDR tools detect known and unknown threats, prioritize and automate your response, assess a threat’s scope and root cause, and return systems to a healthy, trusted state.
 
Report highlights:

- Many organizations have conceded that their traditional anti-malware defenses have failed and that a new strategy must be created to identify these breaches at the endpoint. A significant number of recent data breaches from advanced forms of malware has increased interest in EDR tools.

- EDR tools provide insights into malware infection and subsequent internal lateral movement of threat actors while they perform discovery scans or as they use stolen credentials across the internal network against systems and applications

- EDR tools are most often used to help with the rapid investigation into the scope of malware infection indicated by adjacent technologies such as network forensics tools, virtual sandboxes and event monitoring tools.

Click here to download the full report.

Introducing Jay Ackerman, Guidance Software’s New Chief Revenue Officer: The EnCase Partner Update - Q1 2015

Please join us in welcoming Jay Ackerman, our first Chief Revenue Officer. Ackerman will provide leadership across all of our customer-facing organizations to deliver the highest-quality customer experience, from initial contact through the sales process, implementation, and ongoing management.

“Jay is a seasoned sales executive with a long history of repeated successes. He accomplishes this by aligning the company’s efforts with its sales strategy to establish a cohesive approach to capturing new customers, while also ensuring that existing customers are well served," said Barry Plaga, acting CEO of Guidance Software. "As Guidance Software seeks to gain greater market share in the fast-growing cybersecurity market, Jay is the right person to ensure we meet the demands of our customers and drive global revenue growth efforts.

“Guidance Software has the right products and people to be very successful in the cybersecurity market," said Ackerman. "This is an exciting time for the company, as the market has demonstrated a distinct appetite for the new genre of endpoint security we deliver. I’m eager to engage with our channel partners and take advantage of this tremendous opportunity.”

Ackerman most recently served as head of worldwide sales and customer success for ServiceSource, where he led an organization that dramatically increased revenues from $25 million to $285 million. He helped the company achieve a compounded growth rate of 35 percent while transitioning from a pure labor-based solution to one providing a proprietary cloud and managed-services offering. In 2011, the initial public offering of ServiceSource resulted in a market valuation of $1 billion.

Prior to Service Source, Jay held executive positions at WNS North America and Exult Inc. Over the next several weeks and months, Jay will build an infrastructure to support a cohesive, consistent way of approaching sales and support to reach our growth and revenue goals.

Email Jay by clicking here.

EnCase Cybersecurity Integrates with Blue Coat, HP Security: The EnCase Partner Update - Q1 2015

Guidance Software recently announced two new integrations for EnCase Cybersecurity: with Blue Coat’s Security Analytics Platform, and with HP ArcSight Express.

The Blue Coat and Guidance Software partnership enables an enterprise to gain comprehensive protection against advanced malware and zero-day attacks across the network and the endpoint. Using a fully-indexed and classified record of all network traffic captured by the Blue Coat Security Analytics Platform, security analysts are able to see potential threats over the network, with EnCase CyberSecurity answering critical questions regarding potentially infected endpoints.

With Blue Coat Security Analytics Platform and EnCase Cybersecurity you can:

- Control the risks and costs associated with a network breach
- Proactively identify and validate zero-day and undetected threats across network and endpoints
- Prioritize response to the most critical threats
- Reconstruct the evidence and associated files
- Quickly remediate and recover from unknown threats across the network and endpoints

Download the solution brief here

Also, Guidance Software and HP recently announced a new incident-response bundle that pairs EnCase Cybersecurity with ArcSight Express. Together, ArcSight Express and EnCase Cybersecurity help companies aggregate and correlate multiple event feeds in order to:

- Identify and validate the most critical threats
- Immediately understand the impact to sensitive data
- Accurately assess the scope of the intrusion
- Remediate the threat from affected endpoints with no disruption to business processes.

The EnCase Cybersecurity and HP ArcSight Express bundle is available exclusively through Arrow ECS. Download the solution brief here.

The Breach of Sony Entertainment: What Would EnCase Do? The EnCase Partner Update - Q1 2015

We’re still learning details about the breach of Sony Entertainment, including how the hackers compromised an administrator account, giving them access to almost everything within Sony Entertainment’s network. Guidance Software has prepared several assets for our partners that describe how the hack was conducted, and how EnCase software could assist in discovering and stopping this type of attack.

Data Breach in Review: Sony Pictures – this document provides some details on how the hackers compromised an administrator’s account to gain access to all of Sony Entertainment’s confidential information. It also provides multiple examples of how EnCase Analytics and Cybersecurity could be used to investigate, uncover and remediate the breach, limiting the damage done. View this document in our Partner Portal.

How to Detect Compromised Administrator Accounts with EnCase Analytics – this short video demos how EnCase Analytics can assist IT security teams establish baseline for normal usage and detect deviations from that baseline. View the video here.

If you do not have a log-in to the Guidance Software Partner Portal, you can request access by clicking here.