• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Leading Global Steel Maker POSCO Deploys ConSentry Secure Switches to Protect Corporate Data

Posted on: Monday, 11 June 2007, 09:00 CDT

ConSentry Networks, the leader in secure switching, announced today that the POSCO steel company of Pohang, South Korea, has deployed its LANShield™ Switches to provide network admission control, gain visibility into the LAN, and enable identity-based access control across the LAN. POSCO, the third largest steel producer in the world, chose the ConSentry wiring closet secure switches to ensure compliance with governmental data security regulations, safeguard the LAN from unauthorized users, and protect its valuable corporate data by restricting access based on the roles of authorized users.

Today, POSCO employs nearly 60,000 people, including those at subsidiaries and affiliates. In addition to its many offices, the company operates two steel mills in South Korea -- one in Pohang and the other in Gwangyang -- and has provided steel to Korea's shipbuilding and automobile industries for the past 40 years. ConSentry's LANShield Switches will secure information in these two locations as well as a data center in Seoul. POSCO's growing network spans many geographic locations and serves as the hub of communications to its employees, customers, and partners. When the organization's lease on its switches came to term, the company recognized the opportunity to upgrade its security capabilities and decided to deploy ConSentry, combining security and switching.

"LAN security was a top concern as we investigated our options for upgrading our switches," said Mr. Lee, vice president and CIO at POSCO. "These days, most of a company's value derives from its corporate data, yet information risk continues to grow, both from outside and internal attacks. If the wrong person accesses the network, or company secrets are sent to competitors, the company would suffer serious financial and regulatory consequences. Therefore, the switch upgrade provided the ideal time to protect corporate information from attacks such as worms and from the insider threat."

POSCO considered other solutions when examining its switch upgrade options, but ultimately chose ConSentry after an introduction by SPKorea. A key benefit was that the LANShield Switch worked with the company's existing network infrastructure and met the criteria the company had defined for a secure switch.

ConSentry's LANShield Switch provides the full set of capabilities needed to protect enterprise assets:

Network Admission Control (NAC) -- Authentication and posture check, which controls who can enter the LAN

Comprehensive LAN Visibility -- Incident- and exception-based information at Layer 7, including attributes such as file name, which are tied back to the user

Identity-based Control -- Role-based access control, which restricts user activities on the LAN

Threat Control -- The ability to block propagation of worms and other malware, which prevents network meltdown

ConSentry's LANShield Switch provides network access control before and after users enter the network, identifying who logs onto the network, allowing only authorized users to connect, and limiting access to data based on a user's role. The LANShield Switch restricts access to the LAN while protecting it from attacks, and it performs endpoint validation, running a posture check on machines to protect against malware infection. The LANShield solution also provides full accounting of all user activity while users are on the network, and its identity-based control capabilities allow IT to enforce appropriate access policies.

"POSCO's decision to upgrade to a secure switch is representative of the overall evolution of the LAN," observed Tom Barsi, president and CEO of ConSentry. "The integration of full control of all users and applications with wire-speed switching is the logical way to build security and application control directly into the infrastructure, enabling enterprises to deploy much stronger corporate security."

About POSCO

POSCO (KSE: 005490) (NYSE: PKX) (TYO: 5412) (LSE: PIDD), based in Pohang, South Korea, is the third largest steel producer in the world. Currently, POSCO operates two steel mills in the country, one in Pohang and the other in Gwangyang. In addition, POSCO operates a joint venture with U.S. Steel, USS-POSCO, which is located in Pittsburg, California. POSCO is viewed by many Koreans as a symbol of national pride and 'can do' spirit. With the strong Korean shipbuilding and automobile industry dependent on POSCO for steel, it has been seen as the bedrock of Korea's industrial development over the past 40 years. Fore more information, visit www.posco.com.

About ConSentry Networks

ConSentry Networks delivers secure switching, enabling enterprises to control every user and secure every port on the LAN through its LANShield product family--the LANShield™ Switch, LANShield Controller, and InSight™ Command Center. More than 100 enterprises today rely on ConSentry's award-winning secure-switching platforms to protect their corporate assets, ensure continuity of operations, and dramatically reduce the risk of security breaches. ConSentry is backed by blue-chip venture capital firms Accel Partners, DAG Ventures, INVESCO Private Capital, and Sequoia Capital; and is headquartered in Milpitas, California.

ConSentry Networks, the ConSentry Networks logo, LANShield, and "Control every user. Secure every port." are trademarks of ConSentry Networks Inc., for use in the United States and other countries. All other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective holders.

Source: Business Wire

More News in this Category