NetIQ Secure Configuration Manager receives NIAP certification

NetIQ Corporation, an Attachmate business, today announced that NetIQ Secure Configuration Manager has been officially certified by the National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP), a United States government initiative between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Security Agency (NSA).

By achieving NIAP certification, NetIQ assures federal and global enterprise customers that Secure Configuration Manager meets the highest industry standard for configuration management tools - specific, globally-recognised standards set by the International Common Criteria for Information Technology Security Evaluation (ICCITSE).

NIAP sponsors the Common Criteria Evaluation and Validation Scheme (CCEVS), which focuses on meeting the security testing, evaluation and assessment needs of both IT producers and consumers.

Designed to adhere to parameters set by ICCITSE, this certification assigns the responsibility of testing and validating product security and functionality to a pre-qualified third party, providing a standard basis for the assessment of technology products.

"The investments customers make in security and compliance management solutions are extensive, and they continue to demand additional levels of proof that vendors' tools can deliver on their promises," said Chan Yoon, senior manager, Product Management, NetIQ. "NIAP certification of Secure Configuration Manager is yet another example of how NetIQ is delivering that industry-validation and confidence our customers have come to expect from their NetIQ investments."

With the issue of compliance top-of-mind for IT managers, establishing a defensible posture for internal and external auditors means providing accurate and comprehensive documentation wherein IT controls are in place and consistently enforced. Secure Configuration Manager is specifically designed to help evaluate system configurations against predefined security and privacy policies, providing reports that detail compliance levels, identify issues and subsequently assist in remediation. With Secure Configuration Manager, organisations can simplify system audits and manage IT risks, while ensuring accordance with corporate policies and regulations. Secure Configuration Manager enables organisations to more easily:

* Increase protection of critical and sensitive information from both internal and external threats.
* Automate enforcement of configuration standards.
* Streamline management of platform compliance via built-in exception management.
* Reduce time and cost to discover and remediate vulnerable systems.
* Improve allocation of security resources.