Category: News

Latest upgrades improve reliability, security and usability, responding to requests from users of Armour Mobile

London, UK, 24 August 2021 – Armour Comms has announced that the latest version of its Armour® Core server-side software includes new features that enhance the usability of its mobile app, Armour Mobile. Armour Core v4 supports IPv6, the latest network communications protocol, enabling calls to seamlessly transition between modern networks, and is an enabler for future planned features. Many of the enhancements have been incorporated as a result of customer feedback, to make the app easier for users including; migrating to a new device, searching for contacts across all communities within the app, identifying whether the call is video or audio (enhancing security) and the option to mute chat pings when on a call or conference. The upgrade also provides simplified access to call logs for auditors.

David Holman, Director at Armour Comms said; “At Armour Comms we have always focused on delivering robustly secure, enterprise strength mobile communications, designed with the user in mind. These latest enhancements to Armour Core represent a huge leap forward in our development programme improving usability in many ways, both to encourage individual end user adoption and secure the organisation’s communications.

“Many of these features have been requested by our users and are simply not available in consumer grade apps. They pave the way for future ease of use, scaling and deployment that will benefit our existing customers and new ones looking to manage their mobile conversations securely by replacing consumer grade apps.”

Details of the new features in Armour Core v4 include:

• Support for IPv6 – improving reliability for calls passing between modern networks including 5G, without noticeable disruption to the call
• User device migration – users can securely migrate to a new device (by scanning a QR code) taking their contacts and chats with them without requiring support from IT or the helpdesk and ensuring the old device is automatically decommissioned
• User auto discovery – users can search names across all their communities, making it much easier and faster to locate contacts. There is now no need to search security ‘communities’ individually for contacts
• Enhanced audit capability – provides streamlined and simplified access for auditors to audit logs
• Mute chat notifications – allows a user to prioritise which secure conversations should be silenced when the user is in meetings or on conference calls to minimise unnecessary distractions
• Enhanced air gap support – a security feature that separates the encryption key generation from key usage. Limiting the connection to short time bursts increases the security of the system and is an enterprise-grade feature not provided by consumer grade apps
• Call type identification – users can identify whether incoming calls are video or audio, for extra security and situational awareness

More information about Armour Communications solutions can be found at www.armourcomms.com

Greek-based security solutions provider selects new secure comms tool to ensure total privacy for shipping and enterprise clients

London, 5 August 2021: Armour Comms, the leading provider of specialist, secure communications solutions, has deepened its partnership with SNSfortech, an Athens-based cyber-security and data protection solutions provider. SNSfortech has introduced SigNet by Armour® to its range of secure communications tools for its security-conscious clients in the global shipping and enterprise markets.

Antonios Mytilinis, Director at SNSfortech commented, “Having worked with Armour for five years, the latest product SigNet, has been an instant hit with our clients in the maritime sector. Clients have reported to us high rates of user adoption because SigNet is so easy to use, while supporting heightened security procedures when dealing with sensitive and private information.”

SigNet is based on the well-respected Signal app, and provides secure comms for voice, text, messaging, video and attachments.  In addition, it provides enhanced security features which include;

• One-step provisioning for end users – download the app, and they can start using it straight away
• Anonymity and protection of privacy – users do not need to reveal their mobile number, email address or even full name in order to use the app
• Use across multiple linked devices – the same instance of the app can be installed on desktop, laptop, tablet and mobile, so that information can be shared across devices securely, without ever using email
• Note to Self facility – voice to text notes and reminders that are held within the app, and can be shared with linked devices
• Can be installed on-premise for absolute privacy and protection of meta-data, or hosted on Armour’s secure cloud.
• A much improved interface provides a great user experience

SigNet by Armour, is available for iOS and Android devices, and for use with Windows 10, macOS and Linux.

David Holman, Director, Armour Comms said, “Customers of SNSfortech, such as those in the maritime industry, have very stringent security requirements, not least because vessels are often required to sail through unfriendly waters. Owners are keen to protect their anonymity while still needing to convey instructions to their management teams, without fear of interception. At Armour we are committed to providing products that protect privacy, strengthen security and that people are happy to use, so that there is never a need to use a less secure alternative.”

End to end security services business 360 Maritime Alliance to provide secure mobile comms solution for Super Yacht and Ultra High Net Worth sector  

London, 15 July 2021: Armour Comms, the leading provider of specialist, secure communications solutions, has announced a partnership with Priavo Security and the 360 Maritime Alliance. Priavo Security has added Armour’s secure mobile comms technology to the range of services it provides to clients in the Super Yacht and Ultra High Net Worth (UHNW) sector. The Priavo Security/360 Maritime Alliance provides a range of security services covering Physical, Electronic and Cyber Security. Both Armour Mobile and SigNet by Armour will be available to clients through the partnership.

Pete Murphy, CEO of Priavo Security, and a founding member of the 360 Maritime Alliance stated; “Having researched the market, we found Armour’s technology to be the most widely approved and recommended. With its two product streams, Armour Mobile and SigNet by Armour, it is able to cover most of the use cases we encounter when providing bespoke security services to clients in the Super Yacht and Ultra High Net Worth sectors.”

The award-winning Armour Mobile secure comms app provides fully integrated secure communications for voice, video, messaging, conferencing, files attachments and MessageBurn (messages timed to automatically delete). An enterprise-ready solution, Armour Mobile is scalable for fast, remote deployment and can be provided with optional Audit features. Armour Mobile is approved for handling data up to UK Government OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE and NATO Restricted.

SigNet by Armour, which is based on the well-respected Signal app, provides similar features to Armour Mobile, with AES-256 bit encryption for iOS and Android devices, and for use with Windows 10, macOS and Linux.

Both Armour product lines have additional security features such as an on-premises option for total privacy as well as the choice of cloud installation on Armour’s secure cloud, secure groups and allow listing features, and a much improved, highly intuitive user interface.

David Holman, Director, Armour Comms said, “The Super Yacht and Ultra High Net Worth markets have their own unique security requirements, where unlike in a corporate setting, a security breach could well be a matter of life and death. At Armour we are committed to providing products that protect privacy, strengthen security and that are designed to be a delight to use, so that people will not be tempted into using considerably less secure consumer-grade apps.”

Total privacy, no reliance on the open-internet, rugged devices with great user experience

London, 14 April 2021: Armour Comms and Bittium have announced the availability of a NATO approved secure communications solution. The new solution which runs on Bittium’s Tough Mobile™ 2 series of ruggedised and secure smartphones ensures voice and video conversations, and the associated files and attachments, stay completely private, no matter how hostile the environment. Aimed at military, defence, law enforcement and government markets worldwide, the Bittium and Armour® Mobile product provides the same user experience as consumer-grade solutions, while keeping data in transit secure at all times via the Bittium Safe Move® Mobile VPN.

The Bittium/Armour Mobile secure comms solution provides out-of-the-box security with everything needed for rapid provisioning of end users contained within the box. Devices are provisioned using a deep-link QR code from Armour and Bittium’s Secure Suite™ device management software. This avoids the ‘weak link’ of relying on SMS messages for authentication codes, and allows the use of Armour Mobile over networks where Voice over IP (VoIP) traffic is blocked or restricted.

Sammy Loitto, Senior Vice President, Sales at Bittium commented; “Security-conscious sectors are an important market for Bittium where we supply our secure and ruggedised smartphones in a variety of options, often without any consumer-grade apps that may compromise security. The Armour Mobile software application is NATO approved, providing the ideal solution for handling data classified at NATO Restricted. Armour Mobile is easy and intuitive to use, further enhancing our joint offering.”

The award-winning Armour Mobile secure comms app is now available on Bittium Tough Mobile 2. When packaged with the Bittium Secure Suite MDM the solution provides:

• User friendly design that mimics standard Android user experience, intuitive and easy to use
• Robust, certified end-to-end encryption of all voice, video and message communications
• Centralised location tracking (command and control)
• Remote wipe (if a device is compromised)
• Without Google Mobile services option with app updates from Bittium Secure Suite, no need to connect to the public internet
• Out-of-the-Box delivery of Armour Mobile activation credentials via Bittium Secure Suite and Bittium Tough Mobile 2 secure channel ensures no interception during provisioning
• Multi-container solution for easy separation of personal and business data
• Use of Armour Mobile in networks where Voice over IP traffic is blocked or restricted

David Holman, Director and co-founder of Armour Comms said; “At Armour we develop communications solutions that combine the usability of consumer-grade apps with enhanced security required by professional users. Armour Mobile is already widely used by defence and governments around the world. This new joint offering with Bittium offers absolute privacy for data and meta-data, that stays completely within the control of the organisation, on a robust smartphone.”

Working from Home requirements and increased security awareness around the dangers of consumer-grade apps fuel demand for Armour Mobile  

London, 16 February 2021: Armour Comms, the leading provider of specialist, secure communications solutions, has seen continued year-on-year growth during 2020. The company has achieved an increase in license revenue with annual recurring revenue (ARR) up 28%. Having secured its first round of outside investment of £2million from external investors in late 2019, Armour made a range of key appointments across the business to fast-track product development and address new markets. Revenue generated has been evenly spread across the regions with 30% from the UK, 33% from the Middle East, and 37% from the rest of the world.

David Holman, Director and co-founder of Armour Comms commented; “2020 has been a year of continued growth for Armour, despite the pandemic. In part this has been due to an increased awareness of the security shortcomings of using consumer-grade apps, particularly as people were forced to work from home.  We have also invested in our expansion with an increase in head count of 20%, mainly in development, quality assurance and customer support. We maintain a strong focus to ensure we develop solutions that are highly intuitive as well as maintaining appropriate levels of security.”

During 2020 Armour agreed terms with a number of new partners in key geographic regions and signed up several significant new customers, as well as expanding the Armour user-base in the military/defence and government sectors.

2020 also saw an increase in demand from enterprises in non-regulated industries for SigNet by Armour, a secure comms app based on Signal. SigNet, which uses AES-256 bit encryption, has been toughened with more enterprise-grade security features such as an on-premises option for total privacy (a cloud option is also available), no auditability, secure groups, allow listing features, and a much improved, highly intuitive user interface.