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Bit9 Launches First Endpoint Security Solution to Solve the Problem of Unwanted Software

Posted on: Tuesday, 20 September 2005, 09:00 CDT

New Parity(TM) Software from Bit9 Stops Spyware, Malware, Non-Business Applications, and All New, Unknown Executables Before They Can Damage Desktops, Laptops, or Servers

Bit9, Inc. today introduced its innovative new endpoint security software, Bit9 Parity, the first solution to detect and stop spyware, malware, and non-business applications on enterprise desktops, laptops, and servers.

Unlike other endpoint security products that focus on what's wrong or malicious, Bit9 Parity is the only solution that detects and controls what's new and unknown--without relying on malware signatures or behavioral patterns. Based on patent-pending technology, this approach offers protection and coverage that today's other solutions can't. The result is real-time, network-wide visibility and control, giving customers the earliest and best possible protection from intrusions, including zero-day attacks.

"Bit9 Parity is the result of years of research and development based on insights into why current approaches aren't working," said Dr. Todd Brennan, chairman, chief technology officer, and one of the founders of Bit9. "Before Parity, our customers could not track and control the new executables arriving daily on their infrastructure, whether they were known application updates or rogue software. Now, our customers can easily detect and control new unknown software and benefit from broad protection, with very little effort."

Bit9 Parity is unique in that it enables enterprise customers to control what software is approved, blocked, or banned across desktops, laptops and servers. Rather than relying on perpetually out-of-date vendor-created blacklists or difficult-to-maintain whitelists, Bit9 has created innovative Automatic Graylist technology that tracks and control new unknown software. For the first time ever, enterprises can now easily decide and control what is appropriate and approved for their infrastructure, independent of whether it is malicious or not, legal or not.

"Omgeo takes customer data confidentiality very seriously," said Javed Ikbal, chief information security officer of Omgeo, the leading provider of trade management solutions. "Bit9 Parity will help us maintain the integrity of our information systems on a consistent basis."

Bit9 Parity Features

Bit9 Parity enables the industry's simplest policies for comprehensive protection, including the first-ever flexible Lockdown mode, which provides the safest level of protection for host groups by allowing them to install and run only approved executables. Bit9 Parity also features easily configurable File Bans to block executables by name or hash so files can't damage or compromise systems. In addition, Bit9 Parity offers customers two other new features never before seen in the industry:

-- A powerful Find File capability that performs network-wide, on-demand queries to quickly and easily locate all instances of any executable across the enterprise in real time.

-- An innovative new approach called Automatic Graylists to track and control new unknown software and help automate the approval process, giving customers maximum protection with minimal effort.

"Enterprise desktops are rife with malware, spyware, and other unwanted software. These threats are extremely difficult for IT managers to centrally manage and control," said Andrew Braunberg, senior analyst, information security, at Current Analysis. "Unfortunately, addressing security issues at the endpoint is extremely time-consuming. Bit9 Parity provides the capabilities and speed that would typically require a small army of IT experts to lock down, and further, without prejudgment, makes resources available to remove any unwanted software off at the earliest possible time."

Bit9 Parity Architecture

The Bit9 Parity architecture consists of agent software that runs on hosts and server software that provides network-wide visibility and control in real time. The Parity Agent runs invisibly to the end user, identifying new executables and scripts as they appear on desktops, laptops, and servers. If the file is unknown locally by the Parity Agent, it communicates with the Parity Server to learn the file's status. Based on the status and configured policies, the Agent either blocks, monitors, or ignores the file's execution. The Bit9 Parity Agent supports Windows XP, 2003, and 2000. The Parity Server runs on Windows Server 2003. Bit9 Parity will be available in the fourth quarter of 2005, priced from $30-50 per host, with volume discounts available. For more information, visit www.bit9.com or call 617.393.7400.

About Bit9, Inc.

Bit9 is the first company to solve the problem of unwanted software at the endpoint by tracking and controlling what's new and unknown. As the only solution to detect and stop spyware, malware, and non-business applications, Bit9 gives IT professionals unprecedented, network-wide visibility and control in real time. Bit9 provides the earliest and best possible protection against known and unknown intrusions, including zero-day attacks. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Bit9 (www.bit9.com) is a privately held company.

Bit9, Inc. and Parity are trademarks or registered trademarks of Bit9, Inc. All other names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Source: Business Wire

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