SonicWall unfurls anti-spyware solution

SonicWall, a provider of integrated security, productivity and mobility solutions, added spyware detection and elimination capabilities to its gateway threat protection product. The technology will be delivered within SonicWall's Gateway Anti-Virus,
Anti-Spyware and Intrusion Prevention subscription service, enabling businesses of all sizes to maintain secure and productive networks. 

Spyware is considered as one of the most pressing and time-consuming network issues currently. Sources such as Webroot and Earthlink Spy Audit programs estimate that 90% of all computers contain some form of
spyware.

The technology uses a deep packet inspection engine that delivers virus protection, intrusion prevention and
anti-spyware capabilities directly on the security gateway. This is the first solution on the market utilizing a per packet scanning engine, making it unique to handle unlimited files sizes and unlimited concurrent downloads. It offers very good scalability and performance for today's networked environment. Additional
anti-spyware features allow SonicWall to disrupt background communications from spyware already present on the desktop and prevent e-mailed threats by scanning and then blocking Spyware infected e-mails.

"With the addition of anti-spyware features to its gateway anti-virus and intrusion prevention offering, SonicWall has created a comprehensive level of capability for its entire product set," said Brian Burke, Research Manager at
IDC. 

"Our goal is to keep businesses of all sizes productive and in control of their proprietary information," said Antony Chapman, Director-Sales, Asia-Pacific,
SonicWall. "Solving spyware, intrusion prevention and virus problems at the gateway provides an important line of defense and frees up network administrators' time. Our service gives partners an even more compelling proposition for their customers, with new levels of affordability and price-performance."

Key features of the anti-spyware protection include: blocks spyware delivered through auto-installed ActiveX components, the most common vehicle for distributing malicious spyware programs. Scans and logs spyware threats transmitted through the network and alerts administrators when new spyware is detected and/or blocked. 

It stops existing spyware programs from communicating in the background with hackers and servers on the Internet, preventing the transfer of confidential information. Also, it provides granular control over networked applications by enabling administrators to selectively permit or deny the installation of individual spyware programs. The solution prevents e-mailed spyware threats by scanning and then blocking infected e-mails transmitted either through
SMTP, IMAP or web-based e-mail.

The Gateway Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware and Intrusion Prevention subscription service will be available in Q1, 2005. Pricing of the enhanced service, starting at Rs 10,500 (for TZ 170 - 10-25 user service) per annum, will be unchanged, and current subscribers to the Gateway Anti-Virus/Intrusion Prevention service will receive the
anti-spyware component through an automatic download at no additional cost. The service is available on the entire range of SonicWall's latest TZ and PRO series devices running SonicWall's SonicOS 3.0 operating system.

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