NetScreen Intrusion Detection and Prevention Solution Protects Against File Sharing and Instant Messaging Exploits
GUILDFORD, U.K., April 14, 2003 — NetScreen Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: NSCN) today announced a software upgrade for its intrusion detection and prevention (IDP) product line that makes it the first platform to protect against exploitation of instant messaging (IM) and peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing application vulnerabilities. Additionally, NetScreen has expanded its IDP product line with a new low-end appliance, the NetScreen-IDP 10, to protect remote offices and secure extranet links.
IDC estimates that more than 229 million workers around the world will use IM to do their jobs by 2005. While instant messaging and file sharing applications can increase business productivity, IM and P2P file-sharing applications can introduce vulnerabilities in enterprise networks. This is because the applications enable users to download executables that can introduce rogue or untraceable “backdoor” applications on users’ machines and jeopardize enterprise network security.
The newest version of the NetScreen IDP software, available for the NetScreen-IDP 10, 100 and 500, includes attack detection and prevention functionality for messaging and file exchange protocols, such as MSN, IRC, Yahoo Messenger, Gnutella and AOL. This functionality can preserve the business productivity benefits of these programs while mitigating the risks associated with these applications by accurately detecting and stopping attacks and allowing valid traffic to proceed unhindered.
“With the increasing popularity of IM and P2P file sharing applications, our ability to detect and prevent attacks that exploit the vulnerabilities introduced by these applications is critical to helping our customers secure their networks,” said David Flynn, vice president of marketing at NetScreen. “As the first platform to provide protection against P2P and IM vulnerabilities, NetScreen is increasing our customers’ network security while enabling these organizations to continue using IM and P2P applications.”
The new IDP software also adds support for more than 10 key protocols, including MIME encoded SMTP, MS-RPC, NNTP and Gopher, bringing the total protocols supported by the NetScreen IDP line to more than 50 protocols.
In addition to the protection provided against IM and P2P vulnerabilities and increased protocol support, NetScreen added new networking capabilities to the NetScreen IDP product line, including support for virtual LANs (VLANs) and virtual routers, allowing customers to leverage a single NetScreen IDP device to protect multiple network segments without incurring additional capital expenditure and maintenance costs on such devices.
New Low-End Platform
NetScreen-IDP 10, optimised for smaller networking environments, allows security conscious customers, such as financial, health care and government organisations, to extend security deeper into the network and/or to protect critical remote sites and extranet links while reducing the total cost of ownership. It is a three, 10/100-port appliance that provides 20-megabit-per-second performance, and includes the same protection capabilities found on NetScreen’s other IDP systems.
Availability
The NetScreen-IDP 10 and the new IDP operating software, version 2.1, will be available this month. Version 2.1 is available as a free upgrade for IDP customers with a NetScreen service subscription.
For more information about NetScreen IDP products, visit:
http://www.netscreen.com/products/idp.html.
About NetScreen Technologies
NetScreen Technologies, Inc., is a leading developer of integrated network security solutions that offer the security, performance and total cost of ownership required by enterprises and carriers. NetScreen’s innovative solutions provide key security technologies, such as virtual private network, denial of service protection, firewall and intrusion prevention, in a line of easy-to-manage security appliances and systems. NetScreen is located at 805 11th Ave., Sunnyvale, CA, 94089, U.S.A., and in Europe at Victoria House, Cross Lanes, Guildford, Surrey GU1 1UJ, U.K. More information on NetScreen’s products in Europe can be found at http://www.netscreen.com or by calling +44 0 8700 75 00 00.