INS Announces TrustCheck Security Solution; Combines Regulatory Compliance, Current Assessment, and Best-Practices Ratings.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 21, 2004

INS, a leading provider of IT infrastructure consulting and security services, IP network management software, and business solutions, announced today the TrustCheck(TM) solution. Employing an integrated set of methodologies and skills, combined with a comprehensive evaluation tool, TrustCheck accurately measures the effectiveness and maturity of business practices employed by corporations and government agencies to help manage risk and comply with regulatory mandates. It enables these organizations to quickly identify and close gaps in their security capabilities, as well as more effectively manage future security investments.

Interfacing with partners, customers, and the industry at large expands many fold the threats to information assets. Meanwhile, government and industry regulations have placed unprecedented pressure to secure these assets, not only when stored, but during electronic communications. "Many organizations take an ad-hoc approach to addressing their security needs, often leaving them unaware as to whether or not the sum of their efforts meets industry standards and government regulations such as Sarbanes-Oxley and HIPAA," said IDC security service program manager Allan Carey. "The INS TrustCheck solution enables organizations to better understand, not only the level of compliance, but the maturity of their security practices. And its differentiated triple benchmark approach -- risk management, regulatory compliance, and industry best practices -- highlights a more comprehensive picture of a company's security strengths and weaknesses."

The TrustCheck solution is built on the INS Security Assessment methodology, which is certified by the U.S. National Security Agency. It also leverages Carnegie Mellon University's Systems Security Engineering Capability Maturity Model (SSE-CMM) and ISO 17799. In addition, each organization's security stance is compared to the INS Best Practices Grade (BPG), which has been developed through thousands of security engagements over the last decade.

"Our clients frequently tell us that they need to gain more insight into how well they are doing in securing their infrastructure as compared to similar organizations," stated INS Chief Security Officer Jim Tiller. "They also want to be certain that their level of compliance with applicable regulations is sufficient to demonstrate due diligence and help reduce liability. We developed TrustCheck specifically to help these organizations fill these needs quickly while also helping them optimize their future risk management investment to support their business objectives."

The TrustCheck solution deploys INS security-certified consultants to measure an organization's security capabilities and determine the alignment of those capabilities with business needs. It also measures the level of compliance with regulatory mandates, as well as the level of maturity of invested policies, practices, and processes. The solution can be applied to an entire organization, or focused on a specific geography, business unit, or department. At the conclusion of each TrustCheck engagement, the client will receive a TrustCheck Report, including a Compliance Scorecard, Industry Comparison Matrix, and INS Best Practices Grade Report, along with strategic recommendations for immediate actions and longer-term initiatives.

To learn more about the TrustCheck solution, visit the INS web site at www.ins.com/solutions/security.asp or contact your local INS account manager.

About INS

INS (International Network Services Inc.) provides IT infrastructure consulting services, software, and business solutions to help companies plan, build, secure, and manage business-critical networks. Our end-to-end consulting solutions address customers' needs in IT Strategy and Planning, IT Infrastructure, Operating Systems and Directory Services, Storage Systems and Services, Security, Network and Systems Management, and Project Management, helping them optimize their business to better face competitive challenges and meet future demands. The Diamond IP family of software from INS provides flexible and scalable solutions for today's complex IP networks. We are one of the world's largest independent network consulting and solutions providers with a track record of thousands of successful engagements. INS is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., and has offices across the U.S. and Europe. For additional information, please contact INS at 1-888-767-2788 in the U.S., 44 (0) 1628 503000 in Europe, or 1-408-330-2700 worldwide.

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