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Configuresoft To Deliver Microsoft Network Access Protection Technology Solution Based on Policy Compliance and Configuration Management

Posted on: Tuesday, 7 February 2006, 09:00 CST

Industry Leader Promotes Network Health by Enforcing Quarantine Based on Established Policy and Configuration Compliance

Configuresoft, an innovator in systems management technology and the creator of enterprise compliance management, today announced that it is working with Microsoft's Network Access Protection technology to deliver network access quarantine capability based on Configuresoft's extensive policy configuration and compliance capabilities.

Next week, Configuresoft will be at Booth # 443 at the RSA Conference 2006 in San Jose, CA.

Microsoft's Network Access Protection technology allows IT professionals to monitor and control network access based upon validation of a computer's compliance to pre-established policies. Network Access Protection technology includes a set of APIs from which third-party vendors can build tools to implement security practices that will restrict network access to computers failing to meet corporate security policies. Using the Network Access Protection APIs, Configuresoft's Enterprise Configuration Manager (ECM) will provide compliance checking based on the extensive configuration and security data included in ECM's configuration management database. This will extend the ability of IT shops to maintain security hardened networks and eliminate a critical means of introducing security breaches through malware.

The Network Access Protection technology with ECM automates verification of systems requesting access to corporate networks based on compliance with established configuration and security policy. If necessary, Network Access Protection will allow noncompliant systems to be updated using ECM prior to admittance. Configuresoft ECM will analyze the actual asset, configuration and security data found on the network versus the desired configurations to:

-- Detect and mitigate system, security and application vulnerabilities;

-- Enforce security policies by automatically resetting configurations to their pre-defined standards;

-- Remediate discrepancies through ECM's built-in change control capability; and

-- Automate security patch management for systems noted as back-level on critical patches and other software updates.

"Microsoft's Network Access Protection is an extensible architecture based on industry-accepted standards. Configuresoft ECM's integration with Network Access Protection will enable enterprise customers to maintain strict compliance to their established best practices for security through the intelligence and capability provided by ECM," said Mike Schutz, group product manager, Windows Server Division, Microsoft. "The extensive depth of data available in ECM allows flexibility and detailed rules for compliance to security best practices that is necessary to maintain secure networks. Network Access Protection will extend ECM's capability to systems requesting network access; if it is not compliant, it will not access the critical IT network."

"Computing environments have become exponentially complex in their design and operations. The risks and consequences of not effectively implementing security best practices for IT are huge and cannot be ignored at any level. Building and maintaining a secure infrastructure is predicated on not allowing the introduction of any IT object that compromises security," said Chris Farrow, director, Configuresoft's Center for Policy & Compliance. "Strong configuration management is the foundation for successful vulnerability management and compliance, especially of mobile assets. Incorporating a network quarantine strategy based on Microsoft's Network Access Protection technology must be part of this overall security strategy throughout the IT environment. Configuresoft is pleased to work with Microsoft to improve this level of control and compliance, enabling clients to mitigate vulnerabilities and risks."

About Enterprise Configuration Manager

ECM centralizes and automates the tasks of monitoring, managing and auditing the hardware and software configurations deployed in large enterprise networks or Web server farms. By standardizing server and client configurations, ECM ensures operational compliance to regulatory, industry and corporate standards throughout a computing infrastructure. Sustained by the industry's most proven scalable architecture, ECM collects detailed critical configuration data from each Windows, UNIX and Linux server and workstation--storing that information in a centralized database for immediate access, analysis and reporting. ECM enforces security policies by automatically resetting configurations to their pre-defined standards when an unauthorized change (or deviation) occurs. These powerful capabilities help IT organizations keep their critical systems properly configured, while ensuring security compliance with regulatory requirements such as HIPAA, GLBA, Sarbanes-Oxley and FISMA.

About Configuresoft

Configuresoft is an innovator in systems management technology, serving eight of the world's 25 largest companies. Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the company offers enterprise configuration, policy compliance and remediation products that span both operations and IT security. At a time in which organizations must maintain a continuous state of audit throughout their infrastructure, Configuresoft ensures these environments conform to any desired or mandated state. To contact Configuresoft, call 719.447.4600, visit us on the Web at www.configuresoft.com or write to info@configuresoft.com.

Source: Business Wire

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