AppGate USB client secures access from home computers

(12/10/2007)

As more and more businesses leverage remote access technology enabling employees to access the corporate network from home pcs, laptops, and even internet cafes, there is an increasing need for robust Network Access Control.

AppGate Network Security has developed a portable way to secure access to information and applications by introducing the AppGate USB client. With this new client, which runs from a USB stick, systems administrators can grant users secure access from normally insecure devices like a home computer or a borrowed personal computer. Companies can now control and secure all users’ access to business critical information at all times.

With AppGate’s new USB stick version of the AppGate client, the user will run the client in a totally closed environment. Access to company resources is through bundled applications on the USB stick and does not rely on or use the PC’s operating system or hard drives. When used together with the AppGate security server, this creates a secure client environment and at the same time gives systems administrators confidence that it is controllable and secure.

Available from Global Secure Systems, this secure and portable client environment provides users with a mobile solution. The AppGate system grants access to enterprise network resources after first authorizing the user and the device and then verifying the device's compliance with the enterprise's security policy. All this is done without having to download anything to the computer and it offers maximum flexibility with minimum impact on the computer.

The AppGate system makes it possible to integrate all types of access: Mobile, PC/Mac and PDAs in one single solution without having to accept reduced security or functionality. The users will be able to access the resources they need, when they need them – no more and no less. One set of users might be restricted to downloading e-mail and synchronizing their calendars on their mobile phones, while others who are running the secure USB client will have access to internal SAP and the CRM systems as well.

According to AppGate’s CTO Tomas Olovsson, “Combined with the flexible access rights management system we offer today, the USB client offers total freedom for users to use virtually any client when accessing sensitive data. This is an easy and cheap alternative to NAC products since system owners now can know that the clients being used are secure enough to be trusted, regardless of the users’ location. AppGate is by far the most advanced security solution today.”

“I always think it is the simple ideas that work best in security – how simple is it to give a user a USB stick with everything included upon it” says David Hobson, MD of Global Secure Systems, AppGates leading UK partner. “This makes the life of an Network Manager or Security Administrator very easy. And all users can cope with a USB. It is a great idea having a zero footprint on an untrusted PC.”

Related topics:  Computer and PC Security   Mobile and Wireless Security   Network Security 

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