SAN DIEGO, Oct. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Websense, Inc. today unveiled a fundamentally new approach to security that identifies threats on the Internet before criminals can launch Web security attacks.
The patent-pending Websense(R) ThreatSeeker(TM) technology delivers pre-emptive protection from Web-based security threats -- threats typically missed or too costly to prevent using security technologies such as antivirus and intrusion prevention systems. Unlike these traditional approaches, Websense seeks out threats on the Internet before customers are compromised and protects customers before patches and signatures are created. As a result, organizations are automatically protected from the latest threats within minutes, without massive costs and administrative burdens and without having to guess what attacks may look like in the future.
There has been a shift in the motives of attackers -- from achieving fame to financial gain, which is changing businesses' priorities in security technology investments. In the past, attackers utilized popular methods like email borne viruses to interfere with business operations, but today's threats have moved to the Web and are more targeted, covert and geared toward financial gain. In the first half of 2006, Websense identified a 100 percent increase in sites designed to install malicious code such as keyloggers, screen scrapers and other forms of crimeware, which can enable an attacker to collect critical information about end-users and specifically target companies(1). As a result businesses are now focused on protecting critical business assets from outside criminal threats and are evaluating more innovative approaches to solving complex security issues.
"Business executives frequently ask me why they are still losing money from Internet attacks after spending so much money on IT security," said Gene Hodges, CEO, Websense. "Part of the reason is that their investment is spent fighting yesterday's threat. Antivirus and intrusion prevention systems simply aren't effective in stopping today's rapidly evolving Web-based attacks. With Websense ThreatSeeker, we're able to pre-emptively stop threats from reaching our customers' systems because we know about almost every attack on the Internet, making our customers' investments effective against today's outsider threat."
Websense ThreatSeeker finds, blocks and protects customers from Web-based threats before they have a chance to steal business information and affect business productivity. The technology is based on more than 100 proprietary processes and systems used to decipher emerging and complex threats. Using a combination of mathematical algorithms, behavior profiling, code analysis, as well as an extensive network of data mining machines, Websense ThreatSeeker provides ongoing threat intelligence to Websense security software products -- delivering protection to customers within minutes.
In development for more than five years within Websense Security Labs(TM) and based on more than ten years of experience classifying the Web, Websense ThreatSeeker is the technological foundation for Websense's current security software portfolio and will provide an extra layer of intelligence in upcoming Websense security software, including data leakage prevention software that Websense plans to deliver in the first half of 2007.
"When customers are hit by a backdoor Trojan or when a keylogger has stolen valuable proprietary information despite antivirus having been in place, the first person customers look to is their solution provider," said Allen Allison, vice president, Information Security Practice, MTM Technologies. "The shifts in attack methods are making legacy security solutions a liability to VARs. With Websense software, fueled by its innovative technology, I trust my customer won't be calling me after the latest zero-day attack; they are protected immediately."
Websense also today introduced the latest version of its Web security and filtering software, which will be available to customers and business partners within two weeks. Websense Web Security Suite version 6.3 and Websense Web Security Suite - Lockdown Edition(TM) version 6.3, both powered by Websense ThreatSeeker, include new security protection capabilities, reporting enhancements and integration with Citrix Presentation Server for enhanced security in virtualized computing environments.
Despite the widespread use of legacy security systems, research shows that attacks continue to evade current preventive measures. According to the 2006 CSI/FBI survey, even though 97 percent of the companies surveyed deployed antivirus products, 65 percent of them were hit by viruses in the past 12 months(2).
"Unlike traditional security software which tends to be reactive, requiring patches and signatures, Websense is proactive. Our users are never able to reach malicious Web sites, so we don't have to worry about being infected in the first place," said Bruce Porter, Network Specialist, Foote Hospital. "In fact, since we implemented Websense Web Security Suite we've seen spyware incidences drop to zero."
Websense ThreatSeeker has allowed Websense to identify several high-impact threats and is the reason that security-experts look to Websense for answers on emerging Web threats. In fact, Microsoft has acclaimed Websense for research assistance on recent zero-day attacks such as the WMF and VML zero-day exploits.
For more information about Websense ThreatSeeker, visit http://www.websense.com/.
About Websense, Inc.
Websense, Inc. , a global leader in Web security and Web filtering software, is trusted to protect 24 million employees worldwide. Websense proactively discovers and immediately protects customers against Web-based threats such as spyware, phishing attacks, viruses and crimeware with maximum protection and minimal effort. With diverse partnerships and integrations, Websense enhances our customers' network and security environments. For more information, visit http://www.websense.com/.
Websense and Websense Enterprise are registered trademarks of Websense, Inc. in the United States and certain international markets. Websense has numerous other unregistered trademarks in the United States and internationally. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which, if they do not materialize or prove correct, could cause Websense's results to differ materially from historical results or those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including statements containing the words "planned," "expects," "believes," "strategy," "opportunity," "anticipates" and similar words. These statements may include, among others, plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statements regarding future product offerings; statements of belief and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. The potential risks and uncertainties which contribute to the uncertain nature of these statements include, among others, risks relating to execution of growth initiatives, customer acceptance of the company's services, products and fee structures; the success of Websense's brand development efforts; the volatile and competitive nature of the Internet industry; changes in domestic and international market conditions and the entry into and development of international markets for the company's products; risks relating to intellectual property ownership; and the other risks and uncertainties described in Websense's public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, available at http://www.sec.gov/. Websense assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date on which it was made.
(1) Websense(R) Security Labs(TM) 2006 Semi-Annual Web Security Trends
Report
(2) CSI/FBI 2006 Computer Crime and Security Survey
MEDIA CONTACT:
Sarah Thornton
Websense, Inc.
858-320-9500
