First Look

RedCannon's Fireball Keypoint  secures through redirection

By Bernard Cole
iApplianceWeb
(07/02/04, 8:22:09 AM GMT)

Fremont, Ca. --  RedCannon Security Inc. has just launched its Fireball KeyPoint secure appliance, a centrally managed USB security platform designed to control access to organization information resources from unknown desktops by redirecting potential threats away from the target to a tightly guarded data vault.. 

“The explosion in remote access requirements for enterprises, and the proliferation of USB storage devices throughout companies, has created new security challenges that have not been met to date,” said Vimal Vaidya, CEO of RedCannon. “Users are accessing corporate assets from a variety of uncontrolled desktops, including public kiosks, hotel business centers, partner sites and even personal home computers. “  

USB storage a threat to security?

He said the use of USB storage devices with memory sizes in the multiple Gigabit range means vast amounts of corporate data can leave the company unchecked, and with no record. “This is a major problem for companies governed by data privacy and security regulations such as Sarbanes-Oxley, Gramm-Leach-Bliley and the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), “ said Vaidya. 

He said KeyPoint was designed to provide users with the combination of a Spyware scanner, stealth browser, secure sockets layer (SSL)-enabled e-mail client and encrypted data vault on a processor-based USB platform.

Through the use of a proprietary redirection schema, it allows enterprises and end-users to continuously retain authorization and control of data on a portable USB device by providing centralized management, policy control, recovery and back up for a secure USB appliance enabling companies to impose a consistent security policy on any PC or laptop device where their data may be exposed. 

Upon insertion in the USB port of a Windows 2000 or Windows XP desktop or laptop, KeyPoint auto-launches a  proprietary spyware detection algorithm to  scan the computer for the most common forms of Spyware, including key loggers, Trojans, Adware and known forms of dangerous Malware.

“The user is then provided with a report indicating the relative safety of the machine (green for good, yellow for proceed with caution and red advising the user of the presence of dangerous Spyware),” said Vaidya. 

Users then have access to three key security applications without having to install any software. This allows use of the host computer even if the user does not have administrative privileges.  

Stealth browser redirects cookies 

A stealth browser the company has developed, he said, which provides a "zero footprint" browsing environment by transferring all personal cookies and temporary Internet files to a secure area stored on the appliance away from prying rogue applications that try to take advantage of the information. 

The same redirection technique is used in its secure SSL e-mail client, said Vaidya, which allows users can access POP3 and Web mail in a traditional Outlook-like format.

 “Mail is encrypted and downloaded to the secure appliance instead of the insecure computer, leaving no trace of the e-mail behind,” he said. “A copy of the e-mail is left on the server for later synchronizationwith the primary mail client. This ensures that e-mail is kept away from the operating system and no e-mail is left on insecure machines.” Users can also import contacts from favorite contact management applications. 

Incorporated into the security appliance is an encrypted Data Vault which allows users to protect sensitive information using 128-bit AES file encryption by simply dragging and dropping files into a secure data vault on the appliance.  

Because no security mechanism is foolproof, the key to a successful security appliance lies in its ability to make a system sufficiently resilient to return to operation in a secure manner, even after an attempt to gain access by an intruder is made.

To deal with such issues, he said, the Keypoint architecture also includes the ability for specific affected and infected devices and systems to proactively repair their software in the event of corruption. 

"While there may be thousands of desktops that are known to an enterprise,there can be an equal number of desktops at kiosks, partner sites and other locations that are unknown to the enterprise," said Vaidya. "The unknown desktop represents the largest risk not only to the enterprise, but to the end-user as well.” 

For more info on the architecture, go to www.redcannon.com.

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