Websense protects Web 2.0 applications
(22/08/2007)

While Web 2.0 applications, such as social-networking sites, wikis and blogs, facilitate collaboration and sharing between users, the increased popularity of these applications has also driven hackers to target users and businesses using these emerging tools.

To combat this threat, Websense has deployed new systems across the Internet called “HoneyJax” that emulate user behavior within Web 2.0 applications to uncover threats before they spread. Developed within Websense® Security Labs™ and now part of the Websense ThreatSeeker™ technology, HoneyJax are the next evolution of “honey-based” systems designed to attract attackers and malicious code.

In addition to the new HoneyJax systems, ThreatSeeker technology uses Honeypots and Honeyclients to track down threats targeting operating systems and applications. Available from only Websense, ThreatSeeker technology provides threat intelligence to Websense Web Security Suite™ software. Websense Web Security Suite protects organizations from Web security threats within minutes, delivered automatically through Real-Time Security Updates™.

For example, if a hacker were to launch an attack using a social networking site, the ThreatSeeker technology would detect the threat through its HoneyJax systems. Websense Web Security Suite customers would then be automatically protected from accessing the compromised profiles within the site, as well as the site that is hosting the malicious code.

“Before businesses get a case of ‘Web Two-Dot-Uh-Oh,’ they should understand and evaluate security before deploying Web 2.0 applications,” said Dan Hubbard, vice president of security research, Websense. “Using mash-ups, unattended code injection, and other tactics, Web 2.0 hackers provide yet another level of complexity for customers that want to prevent data loss and malicious attacks.”