Astaro Adds First Full Gateway-Based Spyware Protection to Flagship Perimeter Security Package

Protection integrated with a firewall prevents spyware from ever reaching clients.

Burlington, Mass./Karlsruhe, Germany - March 8, 2005 -- Astaro Corporation today announced Astaro Security Linux 5.2 , which adds the first complete gateway-based spyware protection to its award-winning flagship perimeter security package – blocking both incoming spyware, adware and other malicious applications, as well as preventing spyware from sending confidential information outside the enterprise.

"Gateway spyware protection can greatly reduce the impact on productivity and help preserve privacy,” said Jan Hichert, CEO and co-founder of Astaro. “Astaro is offering the first firewall-based security product that protects clients from spyware infection attempts and prevents infected computers from sending personal web usage data out over the internet."

Spyware and adware can interfere with work, drastically slow computer performance, and secretly transmit information on user web surfing and purchasing activities to hackers. One recent study by America Online and the National Cyber Security Alliance (October 2004) found 80 percent of surveyed computers infected, with an average of 93 spyware and adware components on each infected system.
Desktop anti-spyware products help address the problem, but they are difficult to manage and provide only partial spyware protection -- de-installing detected spyware that already made its way to the system.Astaro Security Linux 5.2 includes a full anti-spyware package protecting enterprises from malware, adware and other malicious applications – before they reach an end-user computer.

According to Gartner analysts John Girard and Mark Nicolett, "Spyware has evolved from being an occasional nuisance to something that wastes IT user and technical support resources, and compromises the integrity of corporate systems, applications and data. Although many tools can eradicate the resulting system corruption, most tools are not designed for use in corporate environments. In the near term, IT organizations should deploy multiple tools and plan to exploit emerging anti-spyware technologies from major security vendors." *
Astaro’s security technology inserts protection against spyware at the gateway between the Internet and an enterprise’s internal networks. With it:

• Spyware and adware software can be blocked before it enters the organization and infects computers.
• Messages from spyware applications inside the organization are intercepted before they can reach the Internet and the spyware writer’s web site.

Spyware Protection can be easily enabled or disabled from Astaro’s WebAdmin interface.

Availability & Pricing
Astaro’s Spyware Protection is available immediately on Astaro Security Gateway appliances, and as part of Astaro Security Linux V5.2 software, which can be installed on Intel-compatible computers.

Current customers: Spyware Protection will be included as part of the Astaro Secure Web subscription. Existing customers who have a Surf Protection or Astaro Secure Web subscription will receive Spyware Protection at no extra cost with the V5.2 Up2Date.

New customers: The Secure Web Subscription, which includes Surf Protection (URL filtering), Virus Protection for the Web (blocks viruses in web-based email like Hotmail and in file downloads), and now Spyware Protection, starts at $280 for one year on an Astaro Security Gateway 110 appliance, or $345 for one year for 10 users as part of the Astaro Security Linux software that runs on standard Intel servers.

Astaro’s Software

Astaro provides an integrated, easy-to-use network security package that combines best of breed:

• Firewall – with stateful packet inspection and application proxies guards Internet communications traffic in and out of the organization.
• Virtual Private Network (VPN) gateway – assures secure communications with remote offices, "road warriors," and telecommuters.
• Virus Protection – defends computers from both email and web-borne viruses.
• Intrusion Protection – detects and stops hostile probes and application-based attacks.
• Spam Protection – eliminates the productivity drain of opening and deleting unsolicited emails.
• Surf Protection (Content Filtering) – improves productivity by blocking inappropriate activities on the web.
• Spyware Protection – detects and blocks spyware infection attempts as well as spyware communication from already infected systems

About Astaro - www.astaro.com
Astaro develops a complete line of network security products including the Astaro Security Gateway line of security appliances and Astaro Security Linux, a software-based solution. All Astaro products offer six critical security applications - firewall, VPN gateway, anti-virus, intrusion protection, spam filtering and content filtering - fully integrated on a single management platform.
The company is headquartered in Burlington, Mass. and Karlsruhe, Germany. Astaro's software has won numerous industry awards, and is protecting over 20,000 networks in 60 countries, including such organizations as Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Los Alamos National Labs, Stanford University and Watsco, Inc. Astaro products are distributed by a worldwide network of 350 solutions partners who offer local support and services.

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* John Girard, Mark Nicolett: "Fight Spyware With Tactics, Tools and Technologies",
Gartner, Inc., September 1, 2004