Forum Systems Delivers the First Single-Source Threat Intelligence Service for XML Web Services Vulnerabilities at RSA 2005

SAN FRANCISCO – RSA Conference 2005 (booth #848) — February 15, 2005 — Forum Systems, the leader in Web services security for threat protection and trust management, announced today the industry’s first single-source threat intelligence service for XML Web services vulnerabilities. Security intelligence services provide timely, reliable alerts about malicious cyber attacks, software vulnerabilities and other relevant risk developments. Unlike today’s general-purpose alerts, Forum VulCon?” (for Web Service Vulnerability Containment) concentrates on delivering up-to-date notification of XML- and Web services-related threats with actionable suggestions for effective countermeasures. VulCon has already aggregated over 100 of these potential exposures to popular systems and applications. This announcement represents the first step in Forum’s Automated Threat Response Initiative to reinvent the delivery of vulnerability data, policy updates and software upgrades to its products.

VulCon reports are available through four delivery mechanisms: Email Alerts, Internet Portal, Web Service API and RSS Feeds. Forum VulCon is available immediately as a FREE subscription service. To register with VulCon please visit http://vulcon.forumsys.com/.

Web services (and servers) are the number one most commonly exploited vulnerability in Windows environments, according to the SANS Institute “Top-20” 2004 list, an international consensus paper on the most critical Internet threats facing organizations that require immediate remediation. With 50 new vulnerabilities announced a week, it is time consuming for security professionals to filter and analyze the Web services-related risks from the dozens of alerts available today. As a result IT administrators do not have the time to focus on remediation plans and exposures are often left unresolved, posing multiple risks to the business, from financial and data loss to network downtime, regulatory breaches and brand damage.

Gartner analyst Jay Heiser, in his “Five Sources of Security Intelligence to Keep You Informed” (16 November 2004), recommends “Through 2006, organizations that fail to make threat monitoring an integral part of their vulnerability management efforts will experience double the rate of security failure losses compared to organizations that review and act on reliable intelligence.”

Enterprises utilizing XML and Web services standards such as SOAP and WSDL to efficiently interact with suppliers, vendors and customers (as well as enterprises turning on new XML features within their legacy applications) face a new category of automated machine-driven threats that target mission critical business processes. In fact Web services are expected to reopen 70 percent of the attack paths against Internet-connected systems that were closed by network firewalls.

“The onslaught of viruses and worms that affect today’s email systems and Web sites are a steady reminder that security must not be taken for granted. XML Web services pose an even greater risk as they allow machines not only to speak and listen to each other but also decide and act on mission critical activities, making them susceptible to organized attacks, accidental misuse and malicious abuse that directly impacts a company’s customers, partners and employees,” said Walid Negm, VP of Marketing for Forum Systems. “Our vision is that Forum VulCon will allow organizations to ultimately keep systems “alive’ with up-to-date defenses, collapsing the time a new vulnerability is discovered and a security remedy is enforced.”

Industry Support for VulCon
“VulCon offers organizations much needed awareness to a new class of data-layer vulnerabilities that are out there today and ready to be exploited – maliciously as well as accidentally,” commented Mark Campbell, Senior Product Marketing Manager at NetContinuum, a leading provider of web application security gateways. “This unique service will be available to our NetContinuum NC-1000 Web Services Edition customers as they seek to respond automatically to security incidents and avoid potential exploits all together.”

“VulCon is a significant commercial step in piercing the mystery of Web services vulnerability control,” said Jack Quinnell, Chief Technical Officer at Kenai Systems, a leading provider of Web services vulnerability assessment and management solutions. “This type of solution enables the shift from reactive Web services security to a much more robust closed-loop secure Web services architecture in production SOA implementations. VulCon’s ability to “update the locks’ as well as “lock the doors’ with a Web service policy update mechanism combined with the ability to converge third-party vulnerability information through open integration points virtually eliminates Web service exploits in deployment scenarios.”

About VulConâ„?
Forum Labs conducts ongoing active research in Web services threats and aggregates and correlates its finding with vulnerabilities from credible sources (e.g. CERT, Secunia, OSVDB, CERIAS). Forum Labs then filters, transforms and classifies the data into a structured database where users can enter their searchable criteria to retrieve entries and alerts that pertain to their selection. Authorized users can submit new alerts as well as correct errors and only authorized subscribers can access the system to receive remedies – including a set of services and countermeasures such as vulnerability assessment, antivirus updates, software updates and recommendations to enhance systems defenses. Business benefits include:

· Up-to-date SOA and XML Web services security intelligence
· Aggregated reports on vendor product vulnerabilities
· Access to a community of active consumers and producers of Web services
· XML Web services vulnerability assessment tools

About Forum Systems

Trustworthy, ubiquitous and robust Web services can only be achieved by combining security controls that are proactive, always on and systematic. Forum Seamless Security Solutions Architecture (Forum S3Aâ„?) is an adaptive approach to building security minded service-oriented applications and data-level networks using life-cycle solutions including vulnerability management, testing systems, firewalls and gateways. Forum products are available as software, PCI-card and appliance options and comply with government requirements including FIPS Certification, Common Criteria EAL 4+ and JITC DoD PKI Certification. Forum Systems is an active a member of OASIS and WS-I helping mature standards such as WS-I Basic Profiles, SAML and WS-Security. Customers can immediately benefit from Forum technology that is bundled with market leading products including Microsoft ISA Server 2004, NetContinuum NC-1000 WSE, Network Engines NS6300X, and Oblix COREid and COREsv. For more information on adaptive solutions for Web services security visit http://vulcon.forumsys.com

Forum Systems, Inc. is the Leader in Web Services Securityâ„? with a comprehensive suite of trust management, threat protection and information assurance solutions for the automated Web. Forum Systems flexible hardware, software and embedded products make vibrant business communications possible by actively protecting XML data and Web services across networks and business boundaries. Forum’s products have been chosen by over 80 Fortune 1000 industry leaders and are winners of Network Computing Magazine’s Well-Connected 2004 Award and Product of the Year 2004 Award, Network Computing Magazine’s Editor’s Choice 2003 Award, Network Magazine’s Product of the Year 2003 Award and DEMO 2004 Invitation. Forum XWall Web Services Firewall is the industry’s only XML Firewall selected by InfoWorld LEADERBOARD 2004. Visit Forum at http://www.forumsys.com/.