May 24, 2007

FEATURE EDITORIAL

Converging Business Communications

With the growth of IM and Web traffic, the sophistication of threats has increased, opening the door to a whole new set of security concerns that go beyond email. Each messaging application represents an entry point for blended threats such as malware, viruses, worms, SPIM, phishing, botnets and zombies used for spam campaigns, while exposing organizations to compliance violations, loss of intellectual property, inappropriate Web use and more.

"Business communications are converging. It's not just email. We now have instant messaging, Web, collaborative interaction and blogs," said Brian Burke research manager of security products for IDC. "Organizations need to have consolidated security solutions and integrated products that examine threats, control content and address regulatory compliance needs across all communication channels."

Recognizing this trend, BorderWare Technologies announced last week the availability of BorderWare Web Security Gateway and BorderWare IM Security Gateway, as well as the evolution of MXtreme into the BorderWare Email Security Gateway, with the launch of the BorderWare Security Platform. The company says its BorderWare Security Platform provides a single integrated policy to protect inbound and outbound traffic for all communication channels, delivering stronger security, simplified management and high performance while reducing up to 50 percent of the cost of ownership over point solutions. "The growing complexity and cost of securing email, IM, and Web communications are facts of business that need a strategic response," said Tim Leisman, CEO of BorderWare. "Our proposition is simple: Companies can cobble together various unrelated quick fixes that increase cost of ownership and don't provide comprehensive security, or they can invest in our integrated, simplified solution for half the price."

The BorderWare Security Platform is available today.

Skype Worm Spreads to Other IM Networks

We appear to have threat convergence happening too. Yesterday, Chris Boyd, director of malware research posted a blog on FaceTime Communication's SpywareGuide.com reporting the first Skype worm they have witnessed that can also spread over other IM networks (in particular) MSN and ICQ. According to Boyd, one of the files deposited onto the target PC checks to see if any IM programs are installed. Boyd writes: "The main target appears to be Skype with regards to a delivery mechanism for the messages sent, but the potential for the infection to leap across various networks is obviously there. The domains the files are hosted on have been flagged for spam-related practices and the whole operation is very similar to previous outbreaks of these Skype worms. In all likelihood, it's the same people behind this wave of attacks, too."

See the whole post by clicking here.

New Service Offers Free Security Reputation Report

Secure Computing Corporation, a leading enterprise gateway security company, announced the launch of Domain Health Check, a free Web service that provides users with a behavior-based view of the messaging and Web reputation of their domains. The company believes this is a first-of-its-kind service, providing users with a free report about the security of their domain as seen and correlated from thousands of points around the globe. In today's ever-changing security landscape, where attacks routinely use compromised computers as hosts and mobile workforce computers can easily become infected outside the office, it is important for corporate IT departments to regularly monitor and track the behavior of systems within their networks.

Those who request a Domain Health Check from Secure Computing will receive a report that provides a snapshot of their domain's security reputation as it pertains to Web and email traffic. Reputation scores are calculated based on behavior data captured in real-time by Secure Computing's TrustedSource reputation service. Like a credit score, a reputation score indicates whether a site is in good standing, or if it may have been compromised and is being used in nefarious ways. As part of the report, participants will receive remediation tips that serve as a starting point for further action.

MESSAGING NEWS CASE STUDY BRIEF:

Boulevard Brewing Company and MessageOne

As the largest specialty brewer in the Midwest, Boulevard Brewing Company has experienced steady growth and has achieved a significant presence in eleven states. As the company expands, its business increasingly relies on email for business communications within the company and also for business and relations with vendors, suppliers, clients and customers. Unfortunately, as the company has grown and email volume has increased, so have the risks to email including unplanned outages, security threats with spam and viruses, data loss windows, server and storage performance issues, and the need to produce emails if required for legal or compliance purposes.

With assistance from MessageOne, a business continuity and email management company, Boulevard recently deployed MessageOne's EMS (Email Management Services) to protect the fast-growing company from all of the key threats to email that organizations face.

Boulevard's most pressing requirements were to handle email continuity, so that outages would not impact the important flow of business email, and to seize control of an increasing influx of spam and viruses that were compromising email security. As a small business, the team was also seeking a fully managed service, that was simple to implement and deploy, and did not require large capital expenses. MessageOne's EMS solution was the perfect recipe. With the full complement of email services provided through EMS (email continuity, recovery, security and archive), Boulevard easily solved their immediate email concerns and mitigated critical risks.

We welcome your ideas and your news for Messaging Newswire’s News & Trends in Email Security. Let us know what you think by sending your comments to editorial@messagingnews.com. Written or compiled by Stephanie Jordan. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

For marketing information on this newsletter or other Messaging News products contact jvictor@messagingnews.com