SOMERSET, N.J. – October 6, 2003 – Netilla Networks, Inc., a leading provider of SSL VPN and secure application access management solutions, today unveiled dynaTRUST, a comprehensive policy management and enforcement operating system for secure application access management. An evolution and extension of Netilla’s existing SecureRealm Policy Framework, Netilla’s dynaTRUST operating system lets enterprises provision dynamic trust-based access to applications and data on the basis of four key variables: a user’s identity, entitlements, environment and client integrity. In conjunction with dynaTRUST, Netilla also announced it is working with leading vendors to enforce endpoint security policies (see separate announcement today).

Policy enforcement consists of an organization’s rules that control the type of applications and resources that employees can access, their authority to use network resources, and the security safeguards required. Policy enforcement and management are becoming more important as enterprises need to take into account more diverse sets of users, such as remote users.

Unlike other SSL VPN products that merely allow remote users to connect to their enterprise networks, the Netilla dynaTRUST O/S offers a policy-based approach that governs access to applications by all authorized users – remote and internal, trusted partner or employee. By simultaneously authenticating users, enforcing policy and ensuring client integrity, Netilla dynaTRUST will speed the evolution from today’s static access control to the dynamic provisioning of trust-based access to network resources.

“The rapid growth of SSL VPNs for remote access is blurring the traditional network perimeter, giving remote users an ‘express lane’ connection that bypasses standard perimeter-defense mechanisms such as firewalls,” said Bryan Bain, vice president of marketing and business development at Netilla Networks. “Netilla dynaTRUST handles this challenge by serving as a policy enforcement point to grant secure access to both the nomadic fringe as well as the internal user. Think of it as an ‘SSL VPN Plus,’ since it delivers access to applications for all enterprise users, not just remote workers.”

"Policy-based application access systems that integrate endpoint security assurance should see rapid acceptance," said David Thompson, senior research analyst at META Group. "While more workers are demanding flexible remote access options that enable access to their business applications from any Web browser, enterprise IT managers need to ensure that those remote clients, which are often not under company control, still conform to their company's security policies before being granted access to critical applications."

Enhanced Policy Enforcement
The Netilla dynaTRUST O/S is now being shipped as the standard operating system for the Netilla Security Platform (NSP) appliances, available in three classes. Authentication and user/group policy modules are shipping now as part of the dynaTRUST O/S, while client integrity and reporting modules will be included in the next release.

The system’s policy enforcement features include identity authentication, role-based entitlements (directly interfacing with Microsoft Active Directory), endpoint integrity validation and restoration, pass/fail detection and logging. Should an endpoint be noncompliant with security policy, dynaTRUST will automatically initiate a quarantine action, take appropriate remedial action, re-check the host for compliance and ultimately grant access. Thanks to Netilla’s technology alliances, these remedial actions can include ensuring that personal firewalls and/or antivirus programs are running; updating virus definitions, host firewall policies, or host IDS signatures; inspecting Windows version and configuration; and even downloading and installing Windows patches. This automatic remediation improves overall IT cost-efficiency while offering an extra layer of policy enforcement.

Netilla is working with these best-in-class technology leaders to extend the capabilities of dynaTRUST:

Authentication: RSA Security, Aladdin, VASCO, ActivCard.

Endpoint Security/Client Integrity: Microsoft, Sygate, Symantec, WholeSecurity, Zone Labs.

User/group policy store: Microsoft Active Directory.