GRIC Introduces End Point Security Using ISS Systems

April 5, 2002 -- (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) -- GRIC Communications (gric.com), a leading provider of Internet-based mobile office communications services, introduced on Thursday its new remote end point security (REPS) solution, a communications client designed to protect remote PCs and provide centralized management of remote security policies.

The company says it selected Internet Security Systems’ (iss.net) (ISS) RealSecure Desktop Protector product to provide intrusion detection and firewall services, and its RealSecure ICEcap Manager to provision access and monitor activity. Used in conjunction with a VPN, says GRIC, the company’s REPS solution protects corporate assets from attack or misuse through detection blocking and encryption.

RealSecure Desktop Protector guards against intrusion and malicious activity by analyzing transactions on servers, desktops and network segments, including VPN connections. Working as a combined firewall and intrusion detection engine, RealSecure Desktop Protector blocks improper activity and passes the information on to the ICEcap central manager for further analysis.

GRIC says its REPS customers will be able to select one of four pre-defined security policies, including Trusting, Cautious, Nervous and Paranoid, or define their own. GRIC’s policy levels range from allowing all Internet protocols and requests to complete restriction of all network services.

"GRIC Communications provides an extensive global network of wired and wireless access points for remote workers,” says Dan Nadir, director of protection solutions for Internet Security Systems. “With the integration of RealSecure Desktop Protector and its centralized management capabilities, GRIC relieves the burden of complex security management and ensures that IT departments have the insight and control they need to maintain the protection of their mobile workforce."

The latest version of GRICdial 3.3, says the company, integrates for Nortel Networks Extranet Access client and Contivity VPN Switch solutions.

And according to GRIC, while the company’s client is already compatible with every major VPN on the market, incorporating support for the Nortel Networks VPN and RealSecure Desktop Protector, future versions of the client will be able to completely control a remote user’s access to corporate resources. The access client will be able to automatically check for the Nortel VPN client and the ISS RealSecure Desktop Protector, launch applications at the appropriate time, pass login and password information to the client, monitor the firewall and the VPN tunnel during the Internet session and terminate the user’s connection to the Internet if the VPN tunnel or firewall are compromised.