Comodo Firewall Is First to Offer SaaS Vulnerability Scanning for Internal Networks

Jersey City, NJ, September 08, 2009 – As an industry first, Comodo introduces vulnerability scanning for internal networks in the cloud. This innovation is available with the newest release of its product HackerGuardian™.

Merchants who accept payment cards such as credit cards are required to scan their networks at certain periods, checking for breaches in security. Previously, internal network scans required dedicated hardware, run by an onsite employee.

With HackerGuardian, businesses can now run remote scans of their internal and external networks using the same software. A lightweight bootable agent installed on one of the local network nodes can be activated by an employee who may be located in another state, or even on another continent.

Merchants required to meet level 1, 2, or 3 of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) can now centralize the administration of their vulnerability scans. They can use one software tool to manage scans of both their internal and external networks.

Internal Scanning

HackerGuardian’s Internal Scanning feature allows PCI DSS-compliant merchants to run vulnerability scans on computers located on a local area network. These computers are typically ‘inside’ the company’s private network and are protected by a perimeter Firewall or other network security device. In order to run an internal scan, the administrator must first run the HackerGuardian internal scanning agent on the local network.

Once installed and configured, this Agent will establish a secure connection to a HackerGuardian Access server which will in turn establish a secure communication channel (connection) to a HackerGuardian scanning server. The scanning server will then be able to connect to and run scans on the local computers located at the IP addresses that have been specified in the ‘LAN Devices’ area of the HackerGuardian interface. The Agent software is available as an ISO image (to create a Live CD) or as files (to create a Live USB stick). The scans can be run directly by booting the device through either the Live CD or the Live USB stick.

There are two main prerequisites to running an internal scan:

• The creation of a ‘Local Device’ as a target for the scans in the ‘LAN Devices’ area of the HackerGuardian interface. Local Devices are defined by one or more IP addresses.
• The internal scanning Agent has been installed on the local network to communicate with the HackerGuardian scanning servers via VPN connection.

“Comodo is proud to lead the vulnerability scanning industry with Hackerguardian Internal Scanning,” said Melih Abdulhayoglu, Comodo’s CEO. “We are committed to creating trust online and making it easier to communicate and transact over the Internet. With HackerGuardian Internal Scanning, merchants can concentrate on building their relationships with customers, instead of on fulfilling their regulatory requirements.”

About Comodo

Comodo is a leading brand in Internet security, covering an extensive range of security software and services, including digital certificates, PCI scanning, desktop security, online faxing, and computer technical support services.

Businesses and consumers worldwide recognize Comodo as standing for security and trust. Comodo products secure and authentic online transactions for over 200,000 business and have more than 18,000,000 installations of Comodo desktop security software, including an award-winning Firewall and Antivirus software offered at no charge.

The Comodo family of companies is committed to continual innovation, core competencies in PKI, authentication, and malware detection and prevention.  As a catalyst in eliminating online crime, the companies’ mission is to establish a Trusted Internet.

With US headquarters overlooking Manhattan on New Jersey’s waterfront, and global resources in United Kingdom, China, India, Ukraine, and Romania, Comodo products offer intelligent security, authentication, and assurance.

Comodo — Creating Trust Online®. For more information, visit Comodo’s website.

For more information, reporters and analysts may contact:

Comodo Group, Inc
1255 Broad Street,
Suite 100,
Clifton, NJ 07013
Email: media-relations@comodo.com
+1 (201) 963 0004 x4073