Secure Internet service

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Proseq Do not ask for just an Internet service, ask for a secure Internet service, writes Arnt W K Brox, Managing Director of Proseq. In an increasingly uncertain world there’s one thing that you can be sure of – someone, somewhere is abusing your network or the services that are key to your business, be it on the Internet or on a private network. Of course, network abuse and hacking can come in a variety of forms. On one hand, your customers could be participating in activities deemed illegal under your own Service Level Agreement (SLA). Then, on the other hand, there could be incidents of spamming, portscanning and hacking against your customers. Whichever way you look at it, someone is trying to undermine your business. And that can mean only one thing – an erosion of your bottom-line profit. This is where Proseq comes in – with a raft of world class services that can help to improve operating profit and restore investor confidence. Our unique portfolio of security monitoring and management services can be configured to meet your – and your customers’ – precise needs, and is available through key international and UK service providers. Proseq services are available in the UK through partners such as Morse and Telenor Business Solutions UK.

What do we do? In a nutshell, our partners either integrate our service to provide secure Internet services, or they provide unique security services with the required level of local support. We pride ourselves on having a round-the-clock operating centre with competence and vigilance to help and guide our customers through everything from small everyday incidents to serious attacks. Because our staff have years of collective Internet security experience, we appreciate that each customer has their own way of working and their own established procedures and systems. Therefore, we adopt a policy that we call ‘dynamic integration’. This means that, no matter how much or how little you need to outsource your own abuse management systems, Proseq is on hand to integrate its own operations with yours – dovetailing our own expertise with your preferred working practices.

How do we do it? Our partners provide our customers with everything from simple standardised security monitoring and handling SLAs to bespoke SLAs, integrating data and sensors from a variety of sources, and not only the standard intrusion detection systems (IDSs). Our partners and Proseq focus on what level of risk customers want to handle, and then select the technology required to reach the required level of risk control. There is still far too much focus on technology out there, and we are still seeing a lot of discussion about the selection of specific IDS technologies, rather than the appropriate level of risk handling for customer information and data. Giving the right level of SLA to facilitate the right level of risk handling is our goal. The SLAs provided through our partners are, therefore, aimed at market segments and customer requirements, in contrast to the number of IDS sensors etc. We provide:  microIDS services – aimed at detecting and handling attacks and intrusions for customers with lower risk levels and less complex Internet access or services. They may be SMEs, but may also be larger customers with fewer requirements.  WISE services – bespoke SLAs for customers with higher risk requirements and larger networks or more complex Internet services, either internal or external.  abuse services – detection and handling of abuse of data, information or systems and networks.  quality of service and security services – it is key to security and operations that the service that handles your key information is functional. Therefore we also offer services that monitor, detect and alert in terms of the functionality of these services.

The bottom line Of course, network abuse management isn’t just for fun. One of the worst things for any customer is to see its services being unavailable, or to see capacity being eroded through no fault of their own. MicroIDS is targeted at organisations of any size that are dependent on the Internet for business, as well as those companies that may already be considering an intrusion detection solution but are discouraged by the complexity and cost of those currently on offer. MicroIDS also provides users with an ideal opportunity to evaluate a leading-edge managed network security service without incurring the cost and service risks normally associated with this route. Because network intrusion, denial of service attacks and even website defacement can be disastrous for virtually any organisation, Proseq offers a range of managed security services (MSS) that can be fully integrated with an organisation’s own network management procedures, guaranteeing the best possible defence against external hacker attacks as well as possible internal threats. By using Proseq’s managed solution, companies can benefit from superior economies of scale without setting up round-the-clock security operations. Additionally, this approach enables organisations to take advantage of the cost savings inherent in not needing to buy in expertise that would not be available inhouse.

This allows organisations to receive superior protection and better standards of support and service to ensure the risks and incidents are handled. Issues of intranet and Internet security have become increasingly important, as companies continue to adopt network-based solutions. Inevitably, the need to focus operations around such an environment leaves organisations potentially exposed to malicious attacks. In response to this Proseq’s latest initiative provides a totally managed solution that enables organisations to concentrate on core business without having to worry about securing their operations against unwanted intrusions. ISPs (Internet service providers) offering always-on services, such as broadband cable or ADSL, invite particular risk. Any reduction in overall network capacity can have a devastating effect on available bandwidth. Traditionally, the only way out has been to lease more capacity at horrendous expense or – probably even worse – fall back on your minimum capacity promises. Proseq’s Active Abuse Management service enables us to police an ISP’s SLA, and take appropriate enforcement action against end-users that contravene its provisions. What is termed appropriate action will be agreed with the ISP beforehand, and may include a warning, a recommendation to subscribe to an alternative product offering, or even removal from the ISP’s customer list. Active Abuse Management is ideal for:  monitoring peer-to-peer services and server activity;  monitoring mail and usenet spamming;  detection of excessive portscanning;  detection of other Internet occurrences that could require active handling – including events like the Code Red worm;  abuse handling.

Vulnerability update and testing service Our well-established Vulnerability Update and Testing Service provides customers with the very latest information on all known vulnerability discoveries, and will even advise you when new patches become available. Vulnerability testing may be integrated in our security monitoring SLAs, provided as separate SLAs performed at pre-defined intervals or as stand-alone projects.

Our centre of excellence and our partners Naturally, while we make good use of our state-of-the-art software and hardware facilities, the one thing that we have become famous for is our highly trained and dedicated personnel. In fact, quite apart from our unique blend of optimised software solutions, Proseq’s team of white-coat security analysts, located at our Centre of Excellence in Norway, is one of the main reasons that we stand head & shoulders above the competition. Thanks to the special bond that our analysts have with all our customers and partners, we can offer customers a whole series of tangible benefits – ranging from flexibility and independence, right through to security and local experience. Each of which is desirable on its own but, when combined, make an unbeatable combination. For further information contact: Proseq AS, Nygata 4 (Postal address: P.O. box 618), N-4841 Arendal, Norway. Tel: +47 37 70 98 00; Fax: +47 37 70 98 01; Website:www.proseq.net/abuse