BorderWare Technologies Inc.: Sendmail Security Flaw Highlights Need for E-Mail Specific Firewalls - Ordinary Firewalls Do Not Protect Against This Attack -.Business Editors/High-Tech Writers TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 5, 2003 BorderWare Technologies Inc. confirmed that its MXtreme(TM) Mail Firewall appliance A device that provides firewall protection for a network. It includes all the necessary hardware and software in a self-contained package that plugs in between the two networks being isolated. Most firewall appliances are solid state and include a stripped down operating system. (www.mxtreme.com) is not vulnerable to the recently discovered email security flaw in sendmail. This is due to the e-mail specific protection designed into the MXtreme range of appliances. Recent security research identified a critical vulnerability in sendmail, an open source email program See e-mail program. that runs on Unix and Linux servers. The flaw has Network Administrators on high level alert due to the threat of hacker attacks and the need to protect against a potential computer worm A computer worm is a self-replicating computer program. It uses a network to send copies of itself to other nodes (computer terminals on the network) and it may do so without any user intervention. Unlike a virus, it does not need to attach itself to an existing program. that can spread without human action. The risk is especially great as over half of all e-mail traffic on the Internet is handled by this program, which is now seen as a hacker target. Although patches are available for sendmail, it is not always practical for Administrators to install them in a timely manner. Enterprises with complex internal networks may not even know the location of all sendmail servers, as the software is configured as a default on Linux systems, which are often installed without the knowledge of central IT departments. MXtreme can protect internal customer networks from the sendmail vulnerability. Ordinary firewalls do not protect against this attack, and will allow malicious messages to pass straight through to internal mail servers. MXtreme's built-in filtering capabilities allow it to block these messages, thus protecting all internal email servers. MXtreme is a purpose-built appliance that specifically protects email systems with a layered security Layered security is a new term used by information protection and online security vendors that describes the practice of leveraging several different point security solutions to protect the digital identities and information of consumer, enterprise or government environments. model. MXtreme guards against attacks at all levels, including operating system operating system (OS) Software that controls the operation of a computer, directs the input and output of data, keeps track of files, and controls the processing of computer programs. hacks, malformed mal·formed adj. Abnormally or faultily formed. messages, and viruses, as well as protecting against employee misuse and annoying and costly SPAM. "This latest critical security flaw highlights the need for application specific firewalls such as MXtreme," says John Alsop, President and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of BorderWare Technologies Inc. "We identified e-mail as the most critical application once network perimeters had been secured with general firewalls. The MXtreme mail firewall already protects customers from this new threat and enables them to focus on business as usual." Research has already shown that simply connecting to mail and websites is a dangerous activity unless the tools needed to detect and protect the enterprise are deployed. BorderWare's MXtreme Mail Firewall is an excellent example of the new kind of protection that organizations need. About BorderWare Technologies Inc. BorderWare Technologies Inc., the first firewall vendor to obtain the Common Criteria EAL EAL English as an Additional Language EAL Evaluation Assurance Level EAL Eastern Airlines EAL Emergency Action Level EAL Environmental Analysis Laboratory EAL Evidence Analysis Library (American Dietetic Association) 4+ Certification, is a private company headquartered in Toronto, Canada with offices in London; Frankfurt; Stockholm and San Jose. BorderWare develops and supplies easy-to-use, highly secure Internet Gateway products and services based on its unique, field-proven S-CORE technology. BorderWare's range of solutions includes the BorderWare Firewall Server(TM) an integrated firewall and Internet services gateway, VPN (Virtual Private Network) A private network that is configured within a public network (a carrier's network or the Internet) in order to take advantage of the economies of scale and management facilities of large networks. client-server solutions, the Document Gateway(TM) and the MXtreme(TM) mail firewall. www.borderware.com Notes to Editors: BorderWare has produced white papers on email security risks and spam protection. These are available on the MXtreme web site. www.mxtreme.com |
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