Intrinsic Security gets enterprise scalability from WebObjects

Intrinsic Security selects WebObjects as a key technology in their FireBreak AntiWorm system and is rewarded with both rapid development and enterprise scalability.

Customer

AntiWorm solutions vendor Intrinsic Security pioneered the use of honeypot and tarpit technology to combat worms, building the first Intrusion Suppression System. With an initial target audience of government and enterprise networks, and in the competitive market of network security products, FireBreak AntiWorm had to be built on a scalable technology that was also suitable for rapid prototyping work. In the rapidly evolving universe of network security products., an enterprise-ready technology foundation was just as important as speed of implementation. There was no time for optimization cycles - the prototypes had to be enterprise scalable.

The Problem Domain & Market

Various studies indicate that as many as 80% of home user's Windows PC systems are presently infected with adware, spyware, viruses or worms. Corporate PC networks are under constant threat, and many see periodic outbreaks of worms costing billions of dollars each year in damages worldwide. Worms like Sasser and MS Blaster become household names. Systems administrators dread the next Zero Day worm, and can't patch systems in zero days.

Mission

Conceived by Intrinsic Security, FireBreak AntiWorm is an enterprise security service that provides active defense against automatically propagating network worms -- without the need for antivirus definitions. The system employs a distributed, scalable network of "tarpits" or "sticky honeypots" and a centrally managed reporting, control, and notification system to trap worms and help you identify their source.

FireBreak AntiWorm helps enterprise network administrators bridge the period of vulnerability known as the "patch gap" -- the time between announcement of an exploitable vulnerability and enterprise-wide deployment of patches to fix it. By trapping worms, slowing their spread, and alerting your staff to the worm sources, FireBreak AntiWorm reduces downtime due to worms.

Solution

Intrinsic Security approached illumineX seeking a technology partner to help them jumpstart a groundbreaking network security product.

illumineX helped Intrinsic Security select a technology foundation for the FireBreak AntiWorm system. Our enterprise distributed systems architects and software developers worked jointly with architects and engineers from our WebObjects Strategic Partner, CodeFab, to design and build the initial system. illumineX engineers deployed and managed the system on a large enterprise network.

In the first year of operation on a network with several Class B address blocks and nearly fifty thousand devices, worm outbreaks were detected by FireBreak AntiWorm an average of two days before they were detected by an industry leading IDS system. Combined with this early warning, the vital Intrusion Suppression capability of FireBreak AntiWorm allowed the very first client to reap significant gain from the system. Outbreaks were detected sooner and contained more easily.

These early results demonstrated product value early in the lifecycle of the product, providing technology validation to early customers, investors, and reseller partners for Intrinsic Security.