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Is this a simpler way to lock-down your environment?
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From applications to USB devices, managing the desktop environment is proving increasingly challenging. Organisations work towards a standard environment, but without control its security is at risk, which in turn makes it more difficult and costly to manage. Could SecureWave's end-point security solutions be the answer?
USB devices - are they putting you at risk?
Admit it. A memory stick (pen) is an attractive accessory and indeed a perfect present for the techie in each of us. Some people never use them but others swear by them to move data between notebooks and colleagues.
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They're getting cheaper and can be invaluable business tools. Traditionally used for projects such as collaborating on a PowerPoint presentation, people see that the increasing size of these I/O devices makes them suitable for other data. A 2GB memory stick is the equivalent of up to 1,400 floppies - it's literally capable of downloading an entire database. Should much of this data be freely moved about? Another thought. How many people have lost theirs? Who may have picked it up and what data was left on it? How many people pass their sticks to others to copy data onto them?
Memory sticks are just one example. There is an increasing drive for manufacturers to produce USB-compatible devices that store data, eg: zip drives, PDAs, floppy drives, smart card readers, digital cameras - the list goes on. iPODs, the latest trend and seemingly innocent technology, can hold up to 40GB - comparable to 28,000 floppies! Every time a user introduces one of these devices, whether maliciously or completely inadvertently, they're capable of both introducing viruses and effectively stealing corporate information.
Application control - is it an issue?
USB devices are one thing - but what about applications? You've set up a standard network of desktops. You've decided which applications your organisation needs, and those you're prepared to pay for. What happens when a user downloads illegal software from the internet - or simply installs a package they bought themselves? On a local scale, this effects the way the desktop is managed and can impact on the network as a whole. As part of the bigger picture, it can put your legal compliance at risk.
White Lists - controlling threats you're not even aware of
SecureWave has developed what it sees as the solution to the problem. Its product, Sanctuary, has two modules - Device Control and Application Control, both of which have been developed to work with Windows NT4, 2000, and XP. As end-point security solutions, they stop security breaches before they can even start. All users are denied access to their USB ports and unauthorised applications by default. You only authorise access to the devices and applications that the user needs. And it can be broken down to a very granular level - defining the make and model of digital camera, for example.
This 'White List' approach insures the network against unauthorised access, as well as viruses and other such attacks. Everything is treated as a threat unless the administrator specifies otherwise. Nothing is allowed in unless you say. So rather than spending hours updating the latest Microsoft patch, all viruses are automatically denied. A Black List approach involves being aware of all undesirables and denying them access. With the While List, no one and nothing can access your network without approval and you can use your active directory infrastructure to map permissions. Threats you don't even know about are tackled head on. And should a user download corporate material onto an authorised device, complete logs can be taken.
SecureWave's Sales Director Louis Oley told us "We've seen a lot of companies struggle to just keep their networks secure, let alone retain standard desktop (and server) configurations. Unauthorised I/O devices and unwanted applications contribute significantly to security problems and avoidable operating costs. USB devices, for example, are valuable business tools but companies often don't recognise the threat they pose. Our technology takes quite a different approach, using the White List concept, whereby organisations simply identify what is permitted and it automatically stops everything else. Just define which devices and executables the business wants to allow and all else is denied. This approach is far easier than trying to identify all the potential (and often unknown) risks. It's simpler to manage, improves security and reduces the costs of maintaining common desktop and server environments" |
Servo's position
Servo urges customers to look at their protection controls. For more information about SecureWave, and to download a demo, visit www.securewave.com
Alternatively, contact a member of the Servo team who can talk to you about the various products available on the market, and provide you with more supporting case studies and Gartner research information.
info@servo.co.uk
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