Overview

Erik is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO at Atakama, the pioneer in multifactor encryption. Responsible for technical oversight and development leadership, Erik is the architect of the patented foundational technologies that enable Atakama to rapidly prototype, build, and deploy production-ready multifactor encryption and signature solutions that protect organizations’ most sensitive data.
Erik has driven the technical development of Atakama’s uniquely decentralized approach to multifactor encryption. Eliminating central points of failure by protecting data at rest, the solution encrypts each file with a unique 256-bit AES key, which is fragmented and distributed across physical devices. Decryption occurs seamlessly, with users simply clicking on a notification prompt on a mobile device or through a secure, automated workflow facilitated by a key shard server. This patented technology enables organizations to eliminate reliance on credentials as the basis of data security – ensuring that all files stay protected even when identity and rules-based access controls fail.
Prior to joining Atakama in 2017, Erik built out global DNS company, ZoneEdit, where he ran all the DNS services for leading domain name registrars, including Verisign and Bulkregister. It was there that Erik was selected to manage the .GOV top-level domain, which saw him protecting the DNS for cia.gov and successfully handling targeted attempted attacks on a daily basis. The high level of responsibility and challenge Erik took on in this role testifies to his deep technical expertise and experienced leadership in managing the most sensitive, high-security information from around the world – qualities he has brought to Atakama’s military-grade data protection.