MCI Expands Managed Security Services Offerings
Posted on: Friday, 7 May 2004, 06:00 CDT
MCI Inc. last week introduced a range of managed security services aimed at delivering customized network protection for business users.
The new offerings include intrusion protection, managed firewall, vulnerability scanning, antivirus and antispam services.
The company also announced a partnership with security vendor VeriSign Inc. under which the two companies will deliver a co- branded user-authentication service based on public-key infrastructure (PKI) technologies.
"We needed items in our portfolio for [companies of] different sizes and needs," said Tom Walton, vice president of security services at MCI, formerly known as WorldCom Inc.
MCI's move to expand its security offerings isn't surprising, said Pete Lindstrom, an analyst at Malvern, Pa.-based Spire security LLC. "The market for security services is hot. MCI wants in on that," he said.
Network Monitoring
With its intrusion-protection and vulnerability-scanning services to be launched later this month, the company will provide users with round-theclock network monitoring services that can proactively identify and mitigate threats. MCI has also teamed up with MessagcLabs Ltd. in Gloucester, England, to offer an e-mail scanning service for dealing with viruses and spam.
Meanwhile, MCI's partnership with Mountain View, Calif.-based VeriSign is designed to allow the company to offer digital- certificatebased authentication and digital signature support for e- mail and Web applications.
Stronger authentication services such as those being offered by VeriSign and MCI are going to be "incredibly important" as companies move toward Web services and wireless Web applications, said Paula Arcioni, identity management services manager for the state of New Jersey in Trenton.
MCI's offering of a managed PKI-based authentication service is "very interesting," she said. The state government is using a VeriSign-enabled PKI infrastructure to support several applications requiring the use of digital certificates and electronic signatures.
Prices for MCI's e-mail services range from 98 cents to $2.70 per user per month. Managed PKI starts at less than $1 and goes up to $5 per user per month. Setup charges can cost up to $100,000. * 46576
MCI's New Services Include:
* A PKI-based authentication service with VeriSign
* An e-mail filtering service with MessageLabs
* Network vulnerability scanning with Internet Security Systems
* Intrusion-detection and -prevention services
Copyright Computerworld Inc. May 3, 2004
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