Symark Announces PowerPassword User Management Edition 3.2; New Version Supports Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) and Adds New Control/Audit Support for SU, SSH and XDM/CDE Services.

AGOURA HILLS, Calif. -- Symark, developer of leading UNIX/Linux security and administration solutions, today announced Version 3.2 of its PowerPassword(R) User Management Edition (UME) product. The new version broadens the functionality of the product by supporting Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) for heterogeneous UNIX/Linux networks. This greatly extends the flexibility of PowerPassword UME and provides tight integration with the latest native authentication systems and PAM aware login/access control and report/audit support for UNIX/Linux services SU, SSH, and FTP as well as XDM/CDE. This is in addition to the existing support of telnet, login, rlogin, rsh, and rexec. PowerPassword UME Version 3.2 is shipping now and will be demoed at the RSA Conference Power Day in Chicago on Sept. 13 and at SecureWorld 2005 in Detroit on Sept. 21.

PowerPassword UME provides central management of password and login policies across heterogeneous UNIX and Linux networks, a feature that is unique. With these capabilities, Version 3.2 significantly increases UNIX and Linux login security to provide simpler and more secure user management that substantially reduces administrative and support costs.

"As network and data security becomes ever more critical to organizations, system administrators need one easy-to-use centralized package for creating and deploying accounts consistently, while controlling and auditing all UNIX and Linux logins," said Doug Yarrow, president and co-CEO of Symark. "By adding access/authentication support for these new services, we provide administrators with greater flexibility and increased security in the administration of their heterogeneous environments. Additionally, PowerPassword UME 3.2 makes it possible to centrally create accounts with synchronized UID and GID information that use full encryption from anywhere in the enterprise, to one, some, or all UNIX/Linux systems."

New Services

PowerPassword UME version 3.2 incorporates support for Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM), extending the flexibility and security of PowerPassword UME to native login applications and applications needing authentication.

The su (switch user) utility allows a user to assume the role of "superuser" or another user without logout. PowerPassword UME audits usage (both successful and failure) of the su utility by reporting who, when and where it was used.

Designed as a replacement for the legacy "telnet" application, the SSH (secure shell) utility creates secured connections to hosts using strong encryption techniques. With PowerPassword UME, the administrator can track usage and define who can use SSH.

XDM/CDE logins allow a user to access a system with an X-Windows graphics display. PowerPassword UME controls XDM/CDE login access rights and provides "Three-Strikes" policies to prevent a perpetrator from accessing sensitive information.

PowerPassword UME also controls FTP login access to protect data stored on these sites. Audit trails indicate who, when and where login access came from.

About PowerPassword UME Version 3.2

Like previous versions of PowerPassword UME, Version 3.2 provides network administrators with a single point of management for all user accounts across large heterogeneous UNIX/Linux networks. The software provides login/access control and report/audit support for login, telnet, FTP, rlogin, rsh, rexec, su, ssh, XDM/CDE, etc. Key features include:

--Account Management: Centrally deploy, modify and delete user accounts

--Password Management: Strengthens password composition, enforces password aging and resets, tracks history, locks out accounts on failed logins.

--Login Access Control: Provides control and audit for all login and access activities, including login, su, ssh, FTP, telnet and XDM/CDE.

--Detailed Audit Trails and Reports: Delivers reports for account activities, password properties, and login events, as well as provides secure and detailed audit logs.

PowerPassword UME uses native login binaries eliminating the need to replace any system binaries and thus removing any chance of interfering with system performance or conflicting with other applications.

Symark PowerPassword UME Version 3.2 supports password control and audit for Sun Solaris, HP-UX, IBM AIX, Debian GNU/Linux, Red Hat Linux and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server operating systems.

Symark's services and support complement the company's powerful product offerings. Symark offers onsite training, rapid deployment assistance and 24x7 support by highly specialized technicians and staff.

About Symark

Founded in 1985, Symark is the leading provider of UNIX and Linux security solutions for Global 2000 businesses. Symark PowerBroker(R) enables granular delegation of administrative (root) privileges, while providing session keystroke logging. Symark PowerPassword(R), User Management Edition provides centralized user account management along with login and password security policies. Symark PowerKeeper(R) provides storage and secure access of administrative passwords for UNIX/Linux, Windows, applications, and network devices. All three products offer central administration and detailed audit logs. Symark offers extensive expertise in enterprise computing security, and our products are backed by unmatched technical support. For more information, visit us at www.symark.com.

NOTE TO EDITORS: If you would like additional information on Symark and its products, please view the Symark Web site at http://www.symark.com.

Symark, the Symark logo, PowerPassword, PowerBroker and PowerKeeper are trademarks or registered trademarks, in the United States and certain other countries, of Symark. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the individual companies and are respectfully acknowledged.