New Endpoint Security Product Developers' Consortium To Improve Critical Class Of Security Products

PRESS RELEASE

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. – ICSA Labs, an independent division of Verizon Business, has founded the Endpoint Security Consortium to help improve enterprise endpoint security products industrywide.

The mission of the consortium is to create publicly vetted, objective and credible security criteria against which endpoint security products can be tested and certified, as well as educate end users about endpoint products. In addition, the consortium will also begin evaluating endpoint products as components of integrated Internet security programs. Traditionally, these products have been evaluated individually.

This class of products includes anti-malware, personal firewall and host intrusion prevention and detection.

“With such a broad range of products touching endpoint security, it is important that the industry pulls together to create consistency among these products to form an effective barrier against this class of threat,” said Andrew Hayter, anti-malcode program manager of ICSA Labs. “The creation of objective testing criteria will create a bar against which endpoint security products will be measured. As part of its charter, the consortium will also advance knowledge and best practices for endpoint security.”

The consortium’s charter members include AVG, McAfee and Microsoft Corp.

“McAfee looks forward to participating in the new ICSA Labs Endpoint Security Consortium and collaborating with the testing lab to drive endpoint security standards,” said Suresh Subramanian, senior product manager at McAfee. “As a leading security provider, McAfee is pleased to see the industry work together to develop more real-life type testing and evaluation standards that help customers choose the right products for their unique environments.”

First Order of Business for the Consortium

Currently, the consortium is reviewing the draft criteria that ICSA Labs is proposing to use for endpoint security product certification testing. Once the criteria are accepted by the consortium members, ICSA Labs will begin accepting products into endpoint security certification testing. For more information on ICSA Labs’ Endpoint Security Consortium, or to submit an application to become a member, visit http://www.icsalabs.com.

About ICSA Labs ICSA Labs, an independent division of Verizon Business, offers vendor-neutral testing and certification of security products and solutions, as well as network-connected devices. Many of the world's top security vendors submit their products for testing and certification at ICSA Labs. Businesses rely on ICSA Labs to authoritatively set and apply objective testing and certification criteria for measuring product compliance and reliability. For more information about ICSA Labs, please visit http://www.icsalabs.com and http://www.icsalabs.com/blogs.

About Verizon Business Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ), is a global leader in communications and IT solutions. We combine professional expertise with one of the world’s most connected IP networks to deliver award-winning communications, IT, information security and network solutions. We securely connect today’s extended enterprises of widespread and mobile customers, partners, suppliers and employees — enabling them to increase productivity and efficiency and help preserve the environment. Many of the world’s largest businesses and governments — including 96 percent of the Fortune 1000 and thousands of government agencies and educational institutions — rely on our professional and managed services and network technologies to accelerate their business. Find out more at www.verizonbusiness.com.