Astaro Introduces First Unified Threat Management Solution with Dual Virus Scanning

Award-Winning Astaro Security Gateway combines the best of the and open source worlds - now for Web and E-mail Virus Protection.

BURLINGTON, Mass. – October 11, 2005 - Astaro Corporation today released version 6.1 of its award-winning Astaro Security Gateway software that provides the first unified threat management, network security solution with dual virus scanning, utilizing two of the market leading engines - Kaspersky and ClamAV.

Dual virus scanning improves security in three ways:

• By increasing the number of virus patterns, to detect more viruses by their signatures,
• By providing a wider range of virus testing methods, to detect more virus variations that cannot be identified by a simple signature, and
• By obtaining updates from two sources, to reduce the exposure to new viruses.

"Astaro's success has come from identifying best-of-breed security solutions and integrating them in a single product that is complete and easy to use," said Jan Hichert, CEO of Astaro. "Our customers benefit by having access to the best in commercial and open source technologies. Utilizing Kaspersky and ClamAV virus engines perfectly illustrate how these two types of software can be combined to provide maximum security."

Hardware-Accelerated Virus Scanning on the Astaro Security Gateway 425 Appliance
Today Astaro is also announcing the Astaro Security Gateway 425 appliance, which includes the new software with dual anti-virus capabilities and a hardware acceleration card to dramatically increase virus scanning performance.

Improved Spam Control and Other Enhancements
The new release of the Astaro Security Gateway software also includes other features that enhance email security, including:

Scanning Emails for Spam URLs - Almost all spam emails contain a link for the user to follow. The new release of Astaro Security Gateway software scans URLs within spam emails and checks them against a database to see if the URL is associated with spamming or other unwanted activities.

Spam Release By End Users - End-users receive a daily Spam Digest of emails blocked as spam. They can release individual messages from the quarantine by clicking on a link in the digest, without involving the email administrator.

Daily Anti-Spam Pattern Updates - Astaro's Up2Date mechanism now updates spam signatures daily using SpamAssassin's real-time anti-spam patterns (“Rules du Jour”). This provides faster reaction time to varied and continuously evolving types of spam.

Availability and Pricing
The new Astaro Security Gateway software will be available immediately. Pricing starts at $330 for the software version, and at $695 for the smallest appliance running this software ranging up to high throughput appliances for large Enterprises and ISPs. Existing customers with Astaro Security Linux V5 and above with a valid Maintenance subscription can upgrade to the new version at no cost.

About Astaro's Products
The Astaro Security Gateway, available as software or appliance, fully integrates all perimeter security applications required to protect a corporate network in one simple to manage solution:

Email Security

• Virus Protection for Email – catches viruses in conventional (SMTP and POP3) emails and attachments.
• Spam Protection – uses nine different techniques to filter out spam and without stopping legitimate emails.
• Phishing Protection –blocks emails from criminals trying to trick users into revealing confidential information.

Web Security

• Spyware Protection – detects and blocks spyware infection attempts as well as spyware communication from already infected systems
• Virus Protection for the Web – defends computers from virus infections from web downloads and web-based emails.
• Content Filtering (Surf Protection) – can block Internet access to 60 categories of web sites.

Network Security

• Firewall – guards Internet communications traffic in and out of the organization with stateful packet inspection and application-level proxies.
• Intrusion Protection – detects and blocks probes and application-based attacks using heuristics, anomaly detection, and pattern-based techniques.
• Virtual Private Network Gateway – assures secure communications with remote offices, "road warriors," and telecommuters.

About Astaro - www.astaro.com Astaro Corporation is headquartered in Burlington, Mass. and Karlsruhe, Germany. The Astaro Security Gateway has won numerous industry awards, and is protecting over 25,000 networks in 60 countries, including such companies as Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Los Alamos National Labs, Stanford University and Watsco, Inc. Astaro products are distributed by a worldwide network of 450 solutions partners who offer local support and services.

Contact: Bill Baker, Baker Communication Group, 860-350-9100, wbaker@bakercg.com