Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. recently rolled out firewall technology that will protect applications in addition to networks. Called Chech Point Next Generation with Application Intelligence, the software allows Check Point’s FireWall-1 product to protect web servers, e-mail servers and domain name system servers. Check Point says the software can block access to forbidden network programs such as instant messaging, or peer-to-peer file sharing. The product can check incoming traffic for compliance to protocol standards and typical usage. The application intelligence enhancement is available this month. Check Point FireWall-1 Next Generation ranges from US$2,000 for 25 IP addresses to US$7,000 for an unlimited number of addresses. In addition, users must subscribe to Check Point’s SmartDefense service to keep up to date. An annual subscription costs $1,000 for each gateway, or $10,000 for more than 10 gateways.
Symantec software gets tough
Last month Symantec Corp. unveiled an updated version of its Incident Manager software, as well as a new vulnerability assessment tool. Symantec Vulnerability Assessment 1.0 uses software agents installed on host machines to look for software or configurations that might be vulnerable to worms, viruses or hackers. Detected vulnerabilities can be sorted by the affected platform or by urgency. Urgency ratings are updated in real time, so if a patch is issued for a particular vulnerability, its urgency rating will decrease. The assessment tool is built on Symantec’s Enterprise Security Architecture, a standards-based system used to manage security devices across a network. Symantec’s Incident Manager 2.0 has been improved to allow it to perform automated, real-time correlation of events. Vulnerability Assessment costs US$795 per server. Workstation licences cost US$150. Incident Manager starts at US$75,000.
Conferences go virtual
Tandberg, a provider of collaborative communication systems and WebEx Communications Inc., a web communications provider, have teamed up to allow enterprises to hold virtual conferences by video, audio, or the web. Tandberg customers will now be able to use Tandberg’s Tandberg Management Suite and Scheduler, a software platform that manages components from multiple vendors, to schedule WebEx conferences. WebEx’s MediaTone Network is a global network designed specifically to enable high-speed web communications. With WebEx, Tandberg users can add new capabilities to traditional videoconferences, or include PC-based users in a videoconference meeting. To access WebEx, users will only have to select a WebEx option on Tandberg’s platform. Tandberg Management Suite and Scheduler support for the WebEx network will be available some time in Q2.
