Security wares weigh in strong at N+I

Steeling enterprise networks against security breaches captured much of the limelight at NetWorld+Interop 2004, as an array of vendors showcased offerings that promise to secure XML data and wireless networks.

Forum Systems at the show last week unveiled  Version 3.0 of its Forum XWall Web services firewall. Addressing the growing need to secure Web services and XML content, Version 3.0 introduces granular data authentication for permission data flows, including SOAP messages and information within WSDL documents.

Firewalls must evolve from today’s packet-level networking approach to address security risks at the data level, said Wes Swenson, president and CEO of Forum Systems. “Firewalls today are blind to XML data. They were built around packet-level networking, but XML changes it to the data level,” he said.

Version 3.0 also implements the WS-Interoperability (WS-I) organization’s Basic Profile 1.0 standard and provides conformance detection and enforcement for WS-I at the network edge.

WLANs also garnered attention at the show from security vendors such as Bluesocket and Trapeze Networks.

Bluesocket unveiled Version 4.0 of its Bluesocket enterprise WLAN security and management software. Version 4.0 brings intrusion detection and work protection to WLANs without the need for client-side software. As opposed to other, signature-based tools, Bluesocket can monitor Wi-Fi data in real time to detect malicious traffic based on user behavior, company officials said. The new version also adds support for VoIP (voice over IP) over WLAN devices and new load-sharing capabilities for greater scalability.

Aiming to prevent trusted users from attaching virus-riddled machines to corporate wireless networks, Trapeze enhanced its Mobility System Software by adding a feature designed to use a combination of users’ identities and trusted devices to enable wireless network access. Dubbed Bonded Auth (Authority), the feature requires both user and machine to authenticate to the network but does not require trusted users be tied to a particular machine.

Senforce added storage-device control functionality to its EMSM (Enterprise Mobile Security Manager) Version 2.5. The enhancement is designed to prevent data theft on mobile computers by extending mobile security policies to include all storage options on laptops.