Security and blockchain for Microsoft business apps: A Q&A with Thomas Berndorfer

When Microsoft customers need more privacy or compliance capabilities than applications like Dynamics 365 or SharePoint can offer out of the box, they turn to the partner channel for help.

Connecting Software is one such firm in the Microsoft ecosystem with integration and middleware solutions for document management, data integrity, security and privacy.  Their founder, Thomas Berndorfer, spoke to MSDW about the company's work to develop solutions atop their Connect Bridge integration platform that use blockchain technology to track the integrity and security of data that resides in SharePoint and Dynamics 365. He also shared his perspectives on selling this technology in the context of core business applications and alongside Microsoft's own sellers.

MSDW: What sort of emerging technology is Connecting Software investing in for the future? For example, where is the use of blockchain heading?

Thomas Berndorfer: Blockchain is my “unicorn.”

About three years ago, I came across a company using blockchain for business tasks, rather than cryptocurrency. But I realized blockchain would allow you to keep files in place in SharePoint but track information [and ensure data integrity].

The information and the document won’t leave SharePoint. Our offering creates hashes in SharePoint with Azure, then saves and stores that information about who produced the hashes. In fact, we can store up to billions of hashes, combining many smaller hashes into one big “superhash.” We can create millions of hashes or seals per minute very cheaply for documents, contracts, or videos, charging much [less]. In fact, we have a patent pending as the only ones who hash and seal Microsoft Word documents. The way their software is designed, Microsoft writes in metadata that would break the seal, but we have an algorithm that avoids that. Currently, we have similar options for SharePoint and want to do the same for Dynamics 365 CE and F&O.