SecureData, a member of the JSE-listed ERP.com Group and the southern African distributor for St Bernard Software, today announced the latter's UpdateEXPERT Premium, an advanced policy-based patching solution that greatly simplifies and speeds patch management of large distributed systems.
Automated security settings capabilities are also included at no extra charge to provide a unique, affordable solution.
UpdateEXPERT Premium is critical for ensuring system protection against debilitating threats, costly data loss and legal liabilities associated with regulatory compliance. Most malware leverages known vulnerabilities that have simply been left un-patched.
With an average of 50 major software vulnerabilities discovered each week (USA's Network Computing, 14 September 2005), it is imperative to keep systems updated. However, administrators must test patch interdependencies before deploying, in order to assure they don't break systems. In addition, the complexity of heterogeneous systems that include Windows, Linux, databases and applications from several vendors, makes patch management a highly critical component to companies' overall security strategy.
"Over 50% of today's small to medium businesses do not have adequate security in place to protect their networks. Complete system hardening requires advanced security configuration, combined with diligent patching," commented Charles Kolodgy, research director, Security Products at IDC.
"UpdateEXPERT Premium offers comprehensive patch management and automated security setting functionality, all in one product that saves IT administrators time and money."
As the first complete approach to patch management, including security settings management, UpdateEXPERT Premium defines the next-generation of patching. Security settings templates based on industry best practices such as NIST, NSA, Microsoft, CIS and CSE, are included in the product.
"UpdateEXPERT Premium's enhanced features provide a much easier way to keep my network secure in an enterprise environment," added Dylan Nichols, PC/LAN analyst for Smartcity Telecom. "New features save time by allowing simultaneous management of all master agents. This freed up time to discover the troublemaker systems and bring them up to the appropriate patch level. I have better coverage of all my computers with easier administration, less worry and a higher level of security with UpdateEXPERT Premium."
UpdateEXPERT Premium offers many new features:
* Multi-user rights and roles: Defines user roles such as administrator, auditor or policy manager, so rights including query machine management, patch deployment and reporting, are then assigned to each role.
* Wake on LAN: Optionally boots powered-off machines for patch installation performed during off hours to assure successful patching of all systems.
* Central management of distributed patch servers: Administrators in distributed organisations can simultaneously perform operations across all UpdateEXPERT Premium master agents. This greatly simplifies routine tasks such as query, patch deployment and reporting for multiple operating systems, servers, applications, databases and policy compliance.
* Notification of specific events: Administrators can set up e-mail notification of the completion or failure of events including installation, query, validation, database updates and reporting.
* Dependency viewer: A simple right-mouse-click displays patch dependency and supersedence information on each update.
* Filtered views of managed machines: Users can view and manage just the machines that meet defined criteria including last query, IP range, agent type, profile and other attributes.
* Security settings management: Allows administrators to easily create, enforce and report on industry standard or customised security policies for services, registry, file system and local security settings.
* Intelligent security settings assessments: Scan security settings against multiple expert recommendations and discover only those vulnerabilities relevant to the target machine's role (ie, "ftp settings enabled" won't be reported on an ftp server).
UpdateEXPERT Premium includes St Bernard Software's industry-leading patch database that contains intelligence on thousands of patches, hotfixes and service packs. The database is carefully analysed and tested for interdependencies to deploy, validate and install reliably. Administrators can even add their own patches for custom applications.
"IT administrators must protect diverse environments under rapidly increasing attacks so they require a solution that enables them to control patching for their entire network from one console," added John Jones, CEO and president of St Bernard Software.
"UpdateEXPERT Premium was designed to provide quick, problem-free patching and reporting capabilities along with automated security configuration management to make networks more secure, reliable and ensure compliance. UpdateEXPERT Premium's added features give us a leg up on our competitors."
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St Bernard Software Inc is a global provider of security solutions that help small and medium businesses protect their network infrastructure at the perimeter and system levels. Using a multi-layered security architecture strategy, St Bernard Software's range of solutions harden business critical systems against threats and exploits, provide policy-based Internet management, protect e-mail messaging, and secure the data backup process to cover files that are open or in use.
Deployed across millions of computers worldwide, the company's award-winning products are recognised for ease-of-use, affordability and scalability.
Established in April 1995, with corporate headquarters in San Diego, California and an international office in London, St Bernard Software sells and supports its products directly and through key solution partners worldwide.
For further information, visit St Bernard Software at www.stbernard.com.
SecureData
SecureData, an ERP.com company, is Africa's premier IT security solution provider. SecureData's solutions incorporate anti-virus and content security, endpoint security, network security, intrusion prevention and authentication and identity management. SecureData's comprehensive "Managed Security Services" include design, audit, implementation, vulnerability assessment, outsourcing and hosting.
SecureData distributes, sells and supports category leading IT security products to the public, corporate and SME sectors throughout Africa as well as products and services to the SOHO and consumer markets through partnerships with ISPs. As well as being the sole distributor in Sub-Saharan Africa for Trend Micro, SecureData is the Sub-Saharan African distributor for US-based TippingPoint Technologies as well as for Application Security, eEye, Precise Biometrics, Red-M, Rocket Software, RSA Security, SPI Dynamics, St Bernard and Websense.
For more information, visit SecureData at www.securedata.co.za.
ERP.com
ERP.com is a JSE-listed company focused on the implementation, integration and management of enterprise applications in an e-business environment.
For more information, visit ERP.com at www.erpcom.co.za.
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