The Pipeline

One-stop shopping
Why make a security appliance that can handle only one or two functions when you can make one that performs eight? That might have been the thinking behind Symantec’s new Gateway Security 1600 Series appliances.

The centrally managed appliances, which offer eight security functions in one device, are ideal for medium-sized offices, either at headquarters on in satellite locations.

Those functions include antispam, antivirus, anti-spyware, intrusion prevention and intrusion detection. They also include a full-inspection firewall, clientless Secure Sockets Layer and IP Security virtual private networking and both dynamic document review and URL list-based content-filtering technologies.

The 1600 Series also offers robust management that includes configuration, event logging and alerting, and detailed textual or graphical reporting. If customers want even more management capabilities, they can order the product with optional centralized policy management and event correlation for all Symantec Gateway Security appliances on their networks.

If administrators are worried about employees accessing objectionable content, they can use the appliances to filter information. The 1600 Series uses Symantec’s Dynamic Document Review technology, which allows administrators to define context-sensitive word relationships.

The product also addresses remote policy enforcement for systems that connect to the network using IPSec or Clientless SSL VPN. Before allowing them to connect, the 1600 Series appliances scan the remote system to determine whether the appropriate security protections, such as antivirus definitions, are up-to-date and working properly.

Users who buy one of the 1600 Series appliances will have access to Symantec’s Security Response, a group of dedicated intrusion experts, security engineers, virus hunters and global technical support teams. The teams provide Internet security expertise 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Users will also receive automated hot fixes, patches and customized updates of security content via LiveUpdate technology.

Good news for handheld security
Everyone wants a good mobile defense against threats to handheld computer security, so it’s fortunate a new product happens to go by that exact name. Good Mobile Defense from Good Technology offers enterprise-class security for handhelds, encompassing third-party applications, external storage cards, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support.

Information technology administrators can lock down handheld devices and enforce compliance with security requirements across multiple platforms, including Microsoft Windows Mobile Pocket PC and Smartphone, Palm OS and Symbian.

Good Mobile Defense consists of a desktop policy manager and client software loaded on the handheld devices. It also has advanced password management and advanced encryption management. The password management feature includes protective actions, such as shutting down the device after excessive failed password attempts; protection for standard and third-party passwords; and the ability to create temporary administrative passwords.

The encryption management feature provides options to control the encryption of native handheld memory, storage cards and specific applications using Advanced Encryption Standard 256.

Good Mobile Defense also lets administrators lock down applications and disable data transfer ports such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and HotSync. Administrators can even lock down camera, microphone and speaker features on handheld devices.

Plus, if there are excessive failed password attempts, the product can remotely wipe out all of the handheld device’s applications, including those on external media storage cards.