Blue Ridge Networks: Today's Integrated Security Appliances Put Remote Government, Enterprise Users at Risk.

CHANTILLY, Va. -- Successful Unified Threat Management Requires a High Security VPN And Separate, Centrally-Managed, Security Functions

Blue Ridge Networks(TM), the premier provider of secure communications products and managed VPN services, announced today that it has identified potential sources of risk for government and enterprise users in the increasing sale and use of "integrated security appliances."

To address the growing Unified Threat Management (UTM) market, network equipment providers are building solutions that group firewall, anti-virus, intrusion protection, and other security applications onto VPN appliances. While Blue Ridge Networks leaders acknowledge the benefit of using a single vendor for an organization's IT security needs, they believe that these all-in-one VPN appliances sacrifice security for the sake of convenience and fall short of delivering the ultimate benefit of a UTM solution - security made simple.

Blue Ridge Networks sees the promise of UTM best achieved by actually integrating these and other security services onto a separate platform from the VPN appliance, not merely having them share disk space, then pushing those services to an organization's perimeter devices over that high security VPN. All functions are tied together via a central management system to make administration easy.

"The idea behind the all-in-one appliance may seem logical at first, but a VPN gateway enhanced with multiple disparate applications amplifies its vulnerability," noted Tony Russo, CEO of Blue Ridge Networks. "The difference in approach originates from the business philosophy of the vendor. If you're a network equipment vendor and bolt security applications onto your VPN appliance, you cannot deliver the same high level protection as a security-first company that puts the customer's information assets first and foremost."

"Another of the fundamental flaws that we see with the network equipment vendors shaky UTM strategy is that they are stacking security services onto VPNs that have numerous documented vulnerabilities. Take a look at the NIST National Vulnerability Database sometime and you'll see what I mean. The customer's solution ends up being like a fortress with a gaping hole where the front door should be," added Russo.

The UTM strategy being followed by Blue Ridge Networks focuses on two distinct platforms - a high-security VPN appliance and a separate management appliance that monitors and manages the VPN, integrates disparate security functions, and centralizes security policy management. Blue Ridge Networks believes that this approach strikes at the heart of its philosophy of being able to provide the most convenient solution possible without sacrificing the security that has put the BorderGuard in the position of being the solution of choice among security-sensitive organizations.

Blue Ridge Networks BorderGuard VPN-only appliances provide availability, performance, and scalability at levels that are unmatched by any integrated appliance. BorderGuard customers have the luxury of using a device that has never been breached in its 10-year history. The Blue Ridge Networks approach not only preserves the essence of UTM, but finally delivers the integration and central management that IT organizations need.

The Blue Ridge Networks BorderGuard secure communications platform, which secures both wired and wireless access, earned several federal government certifications and is the only VPN and management solution in the marketplace that has earned both Common Criteria certification and FIPS 140-2 validations.

About Blue Ridge Networks

Blue Ridge Networks produces products and managed services that enable public- and private-sector organizations to communicate with remote offices and mobile workers over any media. The company was responsible for the industry's first commercial virtual private network and completed widespread deployments across commercial and government sectors worldwide. The Blue Ridge Networks BorderGuard product suite has a 10-year and has earned several Government Agency Certifications, including: FIPS 140-2 validation, Common Criteria certification, HIPAA compliance, and the Department of Defense SPOCK validation. Information about the company's products and managed services can be found at www.blueridgenetworks.com.

BorderGuard and Tunnel Lock are registered trademarks and Blue Ridge Networks is a trademark of Blue Ridge Networks, Inc. Other names used herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.