Sept/Oct 2003

The rapid spread of wireless hot-spot locations where mobile workers can log on to the Internet has raised new concerns about security. Many specialists are reacting by launching software and service packages for helping businesses guard against vulnerability; and one of the latest comes from US-based Aventail Corporation.

The company has just launched a new product suite called End-Point Control (EPC), which aims to help user-companies enforce security regimes in a wide range of mobile computing situations; it mentions airport kiosks, wireless hotspots, employee-owned PCs and PDAs.

The company points out that in the past, remote access was only available to users on corporate laptops with traditional VPNs (virtual private networks), which require the management of complex clients. With the adoption of SSL VPN technology (in other words, technically secure VPNs accessed via Web browsers), executives, employees, partners and customers have come to expect anywhere access to more network resources.

Aventail aims to eliminate the associated risks by controlling access privileges on the basis of users' specific levels of risk. It sounds complex, but the company points out that its solutions include a single, centralised location for all access policies.