Internet Security Tool to Deter Hackers.

AMES, Iowa--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 14, 1995--Julius Caesar, of the Iron Age, was killed on the Ides of March just over 2,000 years ago according to Shakespeare. He died due to insufficient security against iron weapons. Today, an Ames, Iowa, company announced a new computer security system to help the Caesars of the Information Age defend themselves and their information against information weapons.

"Our computer security product, NetProbe(TM), identifies security holes and advises computer systems operators how to fix those holes before an Internet pirate can exploit them," said Dr. Gregory E. Shannon, president of InfoStructure Services and Technologies Inc., (IST). The company will begin selling the software on March 31.

"The need for security improvement is partially driven by powerful tools which will soon be released as freeware on the Internet and thus will soon be in the hands of computer hackers," said Shannon.

A computer system operator "running NetProbe(TM) over his or her network can assess how secure the network is from internal and external attack and assess it far faster than previously possible," said Mike Neuman, principal author of the software and former system administrator at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Network administrators are becoming increasingly aware how vulnerable their networks are to attack from electronic thieves, joy riders, and even a modern day Brutus attack from the inside. These vulnerabilities increase as firms link their local networks to the information superhighway. The recent FBI arrest of the infamous computer hacker, Kevin Mitnik, represents the tip of the iceberg in the area of computer assisted crime.

"Hackers and disgruntled employees have the opportunity to cause tremendous harm to a company. They can browse in restricted files degrade computer performance and corrupt data," said Neuman.

The need may increase dramatically after April 6th, when a new network probing tool is scheduled to be released onto the Internet. This will be a freely distributed tools which could make it far easier for hackers to break into systems. At present, a hacker has to keep probing a network for exploitable weaknesses. Soon hackers will be able to point one of these tools at an organization's network and let it automatically probe for security holes while they enjoy a game on the Internet.

The NetProbe(TM) software was developed as a result of the computer security experience of the authors and IST staff at the Los Alamos National Laboratory operated by the U.S. Department of Energy. IST Inc. is a computer software and consulting firm located at the Iowa State University Research Park. IST sells products and services for computer security and fraud detection in text based data streams such as tax returns or insurance claims.

CONTACT: InfoStructure Services and Technologies Inc., Ames

Dr. Gregory E. Shannon

515/296-6903 (voice)

800/525-7976

515/296-9910 (fax)

[e-mail] (e-mail)

http://www.netins.net/showcase/infostructure/ (URL)