New
Features and Functionality
Extend
Windows desktop security and say “Death to Spyware”
New "program permissions" extend Windows security
from users to programs—keeping unknown programs from behaving like a
virus or spyware. Here’s how. Lightspeed Systems broadly categorizes
programs into three groups: known good, known bad, and unknown.
Known bad programs are recognized and
blocked using traditional virus scanning (released with Security Agent
v5.01). TTC’s open virus database allows you to categorize any
programs that you don’t want running on the network as a known bad
program or “virus.”
With
TTC v5.02, an applications database of known good
programs is included--each with its own associated
cryptographic hash or “fingerprint.” As Security Agents are
deployed, they auto-inventory existing programs on the desktop and add
them to the database. This way nothing currently running on your
network can be inadvertently blocked. Conversely, there are several
reports that will alert you to any potentially bad programs that were
auto-inventoried and added to the applications database as good
programs.
With the applications and virus databases identifying known good and
known bad programs on the network, unknown
programs are easily detected and made subject to your review.
Known
and unknown programs are also subject to the permissions you give them
in the Security Agent properties--extending Windows security beyond
users to programs. You may permit or
restrict: talking on the network, accepting incoming
connections, writing to another program’s memory, modifying other
programs on the disk or critical registry entries, executing other
programs, and accessing critical system files. You may also choose to
allow the user’s full security access or allow created programs to
inherit permissions. There is also an option to display program
permission settings within the Windows file properties dialog.
Spyware
detection and removal. Spyware is detected and
blocked as either a known bad program or as an unknown program with
only the default permissions you’ve specified so that it cannot
behave maliciously. With this release, you also have the option of
removing the spyware from the disk and the registry under the Agent’s
“Virus Scanning Properties.”
More
convenient reporting
Several
steps were taken to make TTC’s reports more convenient. Machines
enumerate faster, reports generate faster, and you can optionally
display site names in place of IP addresses.
In
addition, you can now grant report access to other parties and limit
their access to an IP address range or site.
Know
who's searching for illegal web content
Using
a list of key phrases, a new “Suspicious Search Queries” report
will alert you to users who are searching for clearly inappropriate or
illegal web content.
Get
pro-active performance monitoring and support
Lightspeed
Systems is now monitoring all TTC servers (v5.0 or higher) to ensure
that any performance issues are identified and resolved ASAP. Error
alerts are sent within five minutes to Lightspeed Systems’ Quality
Assurance and Development teams.
 |
System
and Application event log errors |
|
errors
in Lightspeed logs |
|
CPU
usage |
|
disk
usage |
|
memory
usage |
|
important
processes |
|
SQL
server query responses |
|
IIS
responses |
|
SMTP
connectivity |
|
and
more |
No sensitive information is ever sent to Lightspeed Systems.
Ensure
a Successful Deployment
Before
deploying the Security Agent on your network, be sure to read the
Setup Notes in the full release notes for v5.02.
Supported operating systems for the
Security Agent. At this time, the TTC Security Agent
can be installed on Windows 2000 and higher. This includes:
|
Windows
XP Home |
|
Windows
XP Professional |
|
Windows
2000 Server |
|
Windows
2000 Professional |
|
Windows
Server 2003 |
Network
deployment. Plan to deploy in a test environment
initially. You can push out with either Active Directory or other
third-party software, or download directly from the web.
Configuration:. As
detailed in the full release notes, you will configure which domains
or IP address ranges to scan for Security Agents and their
corresponding desktop info; set Security Agent options for virus
scanning, spyware detection and removal, etc.; and review your base
applications database for recognizing good programs that should be
allowed to run on your network.
Download
and Test Drive the Security Agent
Without
installing the v5.02 server software, you can test drive the Security
Agent on your own desktop.
System requirements:
|
Windows
XP Home |
|
Windows
XP Professional |
|
Windows
2000 Server |
|
Windows
2000 Professional |
|
Windows
Server 2003 |
Current
customers: If you want to use the new Security Agent with your TTC
Server, you’ll need to upgrade to v5.02 first.
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