Cisco Expands Footprint of Self-Defending Network

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SAN FRANCISCO–Cisco Systems announced its latest series of product moves aimed at pushing forward its vision of the self-defending network Feb. 5.

The San Jose, Calif.-based networking market leader detailed work to further tie together a handful of its existing security applications, claiming to increase the ability of networks to fend off external threats and improve the ability of enterprise organizations to authenticate devices and end users logging onto their IT systems.

At a meeting held for industry analysts and members of the technology media, many of whom are in town for the RSA Conference 2007, being held here from Feb. 5-10, the company outlined the benefits it believes customers will appreciate based on its work to pull its security technologies together in a more comprehensive manner.

Cisco has focused its latest efforts on integrating IT systems defense tools and technologies meant to allow companies to defend their communications infrastructure, with a heavy emphasis on the ability of its NAC (network admission control) architecture to help organizations ward off malware intrusions and other types of external attacks.

The company specifically detailed upgrades and new integration to five individual products, its intrusion prevention system (IPS), Security Agent, CS-MARS (Security Mitigation Analysis and Response System), CSM (Security Manager) and SSL (secure sockets layer) VPN technologies.

Through the work, Cisco contends it has directly addressed at least three pressing issues for enterprise customers–bolstering organizations’ abilities to control threats on the network, employ more stringent remote access controls using SSL VPN, and approach security from a lifecycle services standpoint. Based on those efforts, the company believes it has significantly improved both its endpoint and network security coverage.

In the realm of threat containment, Cisco is boasting far greater levels of collaboration between its IPS 6.0, CSA 5.2, CS-MARS 4.3, and CSM 3.1 products, claiming the ability for the tools to provide more centralized detection, protection and policy management.

As an example, company officials pointed to improved communications between the IPS and security agent tools in the name of lowering false positives and stopping a wider range of emerging attacks. The IPS system has also been augmented to help fight so-called zero-day exploits and other cutting-edge threats.

Read the full story on eWeek: Cisco Expands Footprint of Self-Defending Network