Aluria Software's Active Defense Shield Halts Spyware Before It Installs; Aluria First to Offer Proactive Spyware Protection Instead of Reactive Defense.

LAKE MARY, Fla. -- Aluria Software, an EarthLink company and a provider of anti-spyware and desktop security solutions, today announced the Aluria Active Defense Shield (ADS), functionality that actively stops spyware from installing into fundamental portions of a computer's operating system (OS). Built into Aluria's anti-spyware solutions, ADS works in concert with the OS driver to identify and repel spyware before it can be installed. The company's products are the first in the industry to identify spyware as it interferes with that driver, providing an unprecedented, proactive defense.

"Given the sophistication of spyware, the anti-spyware market must transition from one that only cleans and eliminates spyware to one that proactively blocks spyware from infesting a machine," said Rick Carlson, vice president of sales and marketing at Aluria. "With the introduction of our kernel driver technology through ADS, Aluria is leading this trend. As a result, our customers will be ahead of those who wish to harm their systems, as we provide immediate detection and therefore a high degree of protection."

ADS installs a kernel driver that hooks into a computer's system driver, which controls the processes executing on that machine. Since any computer action ultimately involves a response by the system driver, the Aluria software can detect any suspicious activity and can stop spyware before it is written to the computer's file system. Unlike other methods, ADS provides spyware protection without regard to the spyware's entry point -- whether from the Internet, an internal network, or from a disk or USB drive. Without this level of protection, spyware can install itself onto a machine and, even if detected, can cause significant complications during removal.

ADS is part of Aluria's full line of consumer, corporate and software developer kit (SDK) offerings. The Aluria Security Center is a one-stop solution for consumers to protect PCs from the most common insidious threats, including spyware, spam, viruses and other intrusions. Paladin, Aluria's corporate solution, allows administrators to monitor their networks for spyware-infected systems. Paladin's detailed threat analysis tools and spyware event notification help IT staff quickly respond to such threats as key loggers, prevent further attacks, and avoid unauthorized disclosure of information. Finally, the Aluria Anti-Spyware SDKs are used by third-party software vendors to provide anti-spyware functionality to their customers.

Pricing and Availability

The Aluria ADS is available immediately as part of Aluria's offerings. Consumers can protect their systems by purchasing the Aluria Security Center for $59.95, while Paladin is licensed on an annual basis starting at $29.99 per seat per year. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and other companies interested in Aluria's SDK offerings should contact the company directly.

About Aluria

Aluria Software, a division of EarthLink (Nasdaq:ELNK), offers software used by millions of users worldwide to protect their computers from spyware and other desktop security threats. The Aluria Security Center protects consumer machines against a deluge of spyware, spam, phishing attacks and network intrusions. Paladin, Aluria's corporate product, monitors, detects, blocks and cleans IT systems of spyware, and the company's anti-spyware software developer kits (SDK) are used by third-party IT solution providers to complement their offerings with advanced spyware detection and removal capabilities. For more information, visit www.aluriasoftware.com or call 888-627-4650.