RETAILERS OFFERED COMPROMISE DETECTION SOLUTION.

Intrusic, Waltham, Mass., has introduced Zephon, the first and only Compromise Detection Solution that uncovers and helps remove malicious and unauthorized intruders on internal networks. Intrusic urges retail companies to thoroughly examine their network security infrastructure as cyber- criminals typically increase their efforts during busy periods of online activity. Malicious hackers use the surge in activity to infiltrate retailers' internal networks disguised as legitimate network users in their search for consumer credit information and employee data.

Retailers make convenient targets because each store usually has several connections to corporate databases. Each connection presents an opportunity for intruders to enter the internal network undetected and sneak into the corporate data center. Retail networks process millions of customer transactions daily, with every transaction recorded and reported back. These transactions capture critical customer data that malicious hackers seize to commit identity theft, cyber-fraud, extortion and numerous other crimes. Once inside the network, a cyber-criminal has the freedom to inflict almost limitless damage. Credit card numbers and customer information can easily be pirated out of the organization and important data can be corrupted or altered.

Having valuable consumer information stolen by online criminals can severely harm retailers. Contacting customers, reissuing credit cards and paying insurance claims can cost millions of dollars, but the immediate loss of trust erodes brand equity and customer loyalty. Additionally a growing number of privacy laws, such as the California Security Breach Information Act, force companies to publicly disclose security breaches or face civil damages and class action lawsuits.

"The insider threat is one of the most underestimated cyber-security risks facing retailers," said Peter Burrows, senior vice president and CIO at Reebok International and a member of Intrusic's Board of Advisors. "The damage to brand equity increases exponentially and the bottom line impact can linger long after the initial compromise has been removed. Most retailers have done their best to secure the network end points with firewalls and IDS, but malicious hackers can easily slip past those defenses to move inside the network. Internal network security remains a stumbling block that, unless addressed, will leave companies vulnerable to additional breaches and losses in the future."

There have been a number of compromises disclosed last year at major retailers. Repercussions continue from the compromise of BJ's Wholesale Club in April. According to the Associated Press, thousands of credit card records from the nation's third-largest warehouse club were accessed by malicious hackers. Because of the theft, financial institutions needed to reissue thousands of credit cards belonging to BJ's customers as a precaution against further fraud. The cost to just one of the financial institutions was $1 million. The Boston Herald disclosed that other banks have demanded $16 million to offset fraudulent credit card charges and other costs related to the security breach.

"To truly secure customer data, retailers must embrace more proactive technologies that compliment existing perimeter security solutions," said Jonathan Bingham, president of Intrusic. "Many retailers are not aware of the ease with which intruders compromise internal networks and extract information. Compromise Detection Solutions (CDS) are the proactive safeguard that retailers' networks have missed to date."

Intrusic is the first commercial CDS vendor. Zephon, the first Compromise Detection Solution is a disruptive technology that uncovers and tracks unauthorized intruders on the internal network. Cyber-criminals motivated by profit prefer to engage in espionage that does not trigger attack-based systems such as IDS. To uncover covert operations by cyber-criminals, CDS relies on an unparalleled level of analytics that was designed specifically for the internal network. CDS is the only approach that can truly defend against the sophisticated hackers and prevent damage before it occurs.

About Intrusic

Intrusic, based in Waltham, Mass., is the only company that can find, trace and help remediate the work of malicious and sophisticated hackers on internal networks. Intrusic has developed Zephon, the industry's only Compromise Detection Solution to identify networks under unauthorized control. Zephon visually maps the full extent of the breach using counterespionage technology and provides complete forensics to facilitate complete threat mitigation.

For more information visit http://www.intrusic.com or call 781/487-4607.