Spirent Unveils Enhanced Security Testing Features for Avalanche.Business Editors/High-Tech Writers ROCKVILLE, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 12, 2004 New Security Testing Features Enable Enterprises to Protect Against More Than 15 DDoS Attacks and a Variety of E-Mail Viruses Spirent Communications(TM) (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :SPM SPM - Sequential Parlog Machine )(LSE LSE - Language Sensitive Editor :SPT (Sectors Per Track) The number of sectors in one track. ) today announced enhanced security features for its Avalanche(TM) product line, a comprehensive solution that tests complex applications and networks to ensure that products and services excel in a real-world environment. The new security features are designed to help enterprises reduce risk, increase security and save money by ensuring that their network infrastructures are prepared for - and will not crash - even under the most debilitating de·bil·i·tat·ing adj. Causing a loss of strength or energy. Debilitating Weakening, or reducing the strength of. Mentioned in: Stress Reduction security attacks. "With spending on security infrastructure increasing to protect against a rising tide of vulnerabilities," said Christian A. Christiansen, Program VP, Security Products for IDC, "IT managers would be remiss not to ensure that their purchases perform in a real world environment. Testing products like Avalanche, with its ability to realistically generate a wide-range of DDoS and other attacks, provide enterprises with an assurance that security defenses are actually working." The new test features for Distributed Denial of Service A condition in which a system can no longer respond to normal requests. See denial of service attack. (DDoS) attacks include Evasive UDP UDP (uridine diphosphate): see uracil. (User Datagram Protocol) A protocol within the TCP/IP protocol suite that is used in place of TCP when a reliable delivery is not required. , Land Attack, Ping of Death A ping request that crashes the target computer. It is caused by an invalid packet size value in the packet header. There are patches for most operating systems to prevent it. See denial of service attack. , Tear Drop and Unreachable Host. These features bring even more functionality to the existing product, which has 10 DDoS attacks, including PineSweep, Smurf and SynFlood. The new features also include an extensible API, which can be used to script custom DDoS attacks. This extensible architecture can quickly create tests for new attacks as they are discovered. Other new security features for the Avalanche include: -- Support for sending viruses as email attachments - enabling enterprises to verify that their security defenses abilities can distinguish between valid and malicious attachments -- An integrated, high-performance DDoS traffic generator with real-world multi-protocol traffic - allowing users to proactively validate that their security infrastructure can resist large-scale attacks while allowing valid user traffic through -- Realistic IP fragmentation - allowing Avalanche to introduce fragmented packets on-demand (in-order and out-of-order) to closely mimic real-world environments and to evaluate the significant performance impact fragmentation has on network infrastructure -- High-performance Secure Sockets Layer (networking, security) Secure Sockets Layer - (SSL) A protocol designed by Netscape Communications Corporation to provide secure communications over the Internet using asymmetric key encryption. (SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) The leading security protocol on the Internet. Developed by Netscape, SSL is widely used to do two things: to validate the identity of a Web site and to create an encrypted connection for sending credit card and other personal data. ) capabilities - generating more than 6,000 new sessions per second and up to 90,000 simultaneous sessions, enabling users to test SSL Web Sites and SSL VPNs at industry-leading levels "IT managers are responsible for protecting their networks against debilitating attacks on their corporate networks," said Alan Newman, director of marketing for Spirent Communications' enterprise business. "By simulating attacks in the safety of the lab setting, IT managers can increase their confidence that their networks will protect their corporation's assets. With the scripting capability, enterprises will be able to easily customize their security testing based on their requirements and security risks." Spirent's Enterprise business develops network test and management products that address the unique needs of enterprise customers. Its solutions include the award-winning Avalanche Enterprise product line, which enables customers to test their application and network infrastructure. Many leading corporations use Avalanche to ensure that their products and services excel in real-world conditions. Current Avalanche customers include American Greetings, Ask Jeeves, Bank of America
Bank of America (NYSE: BAC TYO: 8648 ) is the largest commercial bank in the United States in terms of deposits, and the largest company of its kind in the world. , Costco.com, eBay, Forbes.com, IBM, Intuit, Knight-Ridder, MSNBC MSNBC Microsoft/National Broadcasting Company , National City Bank and World Book Publishing. The new security test features are available now. About Avalanche Avalanche is designed for enterprises that demand absolute realism and control under all conditions. Avalanche challenges any computing infrastructure's ability to stand up to the load and complexity of the real world. Avalanche supports HTTP/1.0, HTTP/1.1, HTTPS (1) (HyperText Transport Protocol Secure) The protocol for accessing a secure Web server. Using HTTPS in the URL instead of HTTP directs the message to a secure port number rather than the default Web port number of 80. , RTSP/RTP (Apple QuickTime(R)), RealSystem(R) streaming, Microsoft(R) Windows Media(R) 8 and 9 Series, SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) The standard e-mail protocol on the Internet and part of the TCP/IP protocol suite, as defined by IETF RFC 2821. SMTP defines the message format and the message transfer agent (MTA), which stores and forwards the mail. , POP3, DNS (Domain Name System) A system for converting host names and domain names into IP addresses on the Internet or on local networks that use the TCP/IP protocol. For example, when a Web site address is given to the DNS either by typing a URL in a browser or behind the , Telnet and FTP. In addition, Avalanche can generate Distributed Denial of Service attack An assault on a network that floods it with so many additional requests that regular traffic is either slowed or completely interrupted. Unlike a virus or worm, which can cause severe damage to databases, a denial of service attack interrupts network service for some period. traffic inline with any mix of multi-protocol traffic. Real-world conditions are accurately replicated by simulating network error conditions and realistic user behavior. http://www.spirentcom.com/enterprise About Spirent Communications Spirent Communications (www.spirentcom.com) is a global provider of integrated performance analysis and service assurance systems that enable the development and deployment of next-generation networking technology such as Internet telephony, broadband services, 3G wireless, global navigation satellite systems, and network security equipment. Spirent's solutions are used by more than 1,500 customers in 30 countries, including the world's largest equipment manufacturers, service providers, enterprises and governments. Based in Rockville, Maryland, Spirent Communications reported 2003 revenue of $394 million and has 1,800 employees worldwide. The company is the largest business group of Spirent plc, traded on the London and New York Stock Exchanges (LSE: SPT; NYSE: SPM; CUSIP number: 84856M209). www.spirent.com. Spirent Communications' sales to the United States government are made through Spirent Federal Systems. www.spirentfederal.com Spirent, Spirent Communications and the Spirent logo are trademarks of Spirent plc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are held by their respective companies. All rights reserved. This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are based on current expectations or beliefs, as well as assumptions about future events. By their nature, forward-looking statements are inherently predictive, speculative and involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are not a guarantee of future performance and are subject to factors that could cause Spirent's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these statements. These risks include the risks described from time to time in Spirent's SEC periodic reports and filings. We undertake no obligation to update our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. |
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