Apere and Reflex Security Announce Strategic Partnership to Deliver Integrated Identity Management, Access Control and Intrusion Prevention


RSA CONFERENCE (Booth 2631), Feb. 5 / -- Apere, Inc. a leading provider of network security solutions, and Reflex Security, a pioneer and innovator in intrusion prevention systems (IPS), announced today a strategic partnership which will enable Reflex Security to integrate Apere's Identity Oriented Networking for Intrusion Prevention Systems (ION 4 IPS) software suite with the Reflex Security Enhanced Reflex Command Center, the first enterprise security management solution to combine the functionality of identity management, security information management, and IPS management into a single appliance. The solution will be demonstrated during the RSA Conference at the Reflex Security booth (#2631).

This new solution delivers a unique combination of threat detection and prevention with what Gartner calls a need to "take the anonymity out of networks." In an April 2006 Research Brief, Gartner security analysts Lawrence Orans and John Pescatore wrote: "Network managers are increasingly concerned about their inability to map user identities to network traffic. Business trends such as outsourcing, insourcing, and increased collaboration drive the demand to know exactly what contractors and guests (especially from other countries), are doing on the network. Network managers should strengthen the mechanisms for connecting to networks and integrate them with identity and access management initiatives."(1)

Apere's ION 4 IPS software suite is comprised of four (4) unique technologies IP2ID(TM) , IP2APP(TM), ID2APP(TM) and ID2NET(TM), which will enable Reflex Security's Reflex Command Center solution to automatically convert IP addresses to comprehensive user, resource, and application information, in real time, to determine the specific source of suspicious network behavior, including the target application of the threat, to help IT management determine the best plan of action to prevent the attack. In addition, the automatic correlation of user identities to IP addresses eliminates the time consuming need for manual IP-to-ID mapping by determining threat origins as actual users computer that is spreading viruses or worms, even in a dynamic IP environment used most frequently in healthcare, financial, and educational organizations or where a large number of remote users are accessing the network. This results in significantly improved operational and network performance, as well as enhanced network security to meet regulatory and compliance requirements.

"The Apere/Reflex Security solution for IP to ID Identity Management meets the growing need of security and network managers to tie user identities to network addresses," said Jim Watson, CEO of Reflex Security. "Now our customers can go beyond just knowing the IP addresses of offending computers. Our Apere/Reflex integrated system will especially appeal to dynamic enterprises where laptop use is prevalent, users are highly mobile, and IP addresses are always changing."

The Reflex Security Enhanced Reflex Command Center delivers a powerful, centralized configuration and management console, comprehensive reporting tools, and ease-of-use in a unified solution for efficiently managing and preventing network attacks. The Enhanced Reflex Command Center's real-time and forensic reports deliver actionable information and won't overwhelm IT management with cryptic or redundant data. Efficient 3D graphical displays of attack data make for quick and easy navigation. Intuitive charting and plain-language explanations make it easy to understand network activity and events. This helps avoid false alarms, document compliance and make an informed security response. (See Reflex Security release dated February 5, 2007 entitled "Reflex Security Ships Enhanced Reflex Command Center")

"We are extremely pleased to be working with a company that shares our high level of commitment to developing the tools organizations need today to be proactive in securing their IT infrastructure and data," said Apere CEO Ram Jayam. "Combining the power and performance of Apere's identity management technologies with the superior security management, intrusion detection and protection capabilities provided by Reflex Security, clearly sets a new standard for network security in the industry, and we look forward in bringing this critical functionality to the global market."

Concurrent to boosting the security and compliance capabilities, Apere's ION 4 IPS enforces network access control (NAC) by an individual to an internal network or internet by applying application layer rules to the network layer. As a result, the Reflex Command Center is the first IPS to convert application layer identity access information to network layer rules to enforce or revoke network layer rules at the point of login or logout of the user. Apere's ION 4 IPS also controls access to individual applications tied or not tied to network directories based on user identities, and reduces signatures applied via post access control.

Apere's ION 4 IPS Features/Benefits

o IP2ID: Real-time conversion of user IP addresses to user identities and
user identities to IP addresses to automatically determine threat origins
as actual users, as well as historical information

o IP2APP: Real-time conversion of application IP addresses and ports to
actual resource names to automatically determine a threat's target
application

o ID2NET: Conversion of network directory information to network layer
policies to determine who should be allowed inside the network by user
identity

o ID2APP: Central repository of network and application identity access
rights and conversion of identity access information to network layer
policies to control access to individual applications tied or not tied to
network directories based on their identities

About Apere, Inc.

Headquartered in San Jose, CA, Apere was founded in 2004 by successful serial entrepreneurs who leveraged their experience and expertise in the security, IC design and software markets to create the industry's first Identity Managed Access Gateway designed to address the security of sensitive data while significantly reducing the management burden placed on IT staff. The IMAG product line is available exclusively through Apere's Team Partners who are certified security experts with the knowledge and resources needed to solve enterprise security issues with the IMAG security appliance platform. For more information, visit the company website at www.apere.com , contact Apere via phone at 877-875-9476 or via email at contact@apere.com.

About Reflex Security, Inc.

Reflex Security, Inc., a pioneer in network intrusion prevention delivers real-time network security through its innovative products and IPS Everywhere(TM) approach to enterprise-wide security. By unifying discovery, deep-packet inspection and a comprehensive prevention engine, the company's IPS solutions block internal and external security threats to prevent today's most serious network attacks. With products that are adaptable, reliable and easy to use, Reflex Security simplifies enterprise security for business networks and virtualized networks of all sizes. Positioned as a "Visionary" in Gartner's Magic Quadrant, Reflex Security has garnered an impressive collection of awards including SC Magazine's coveted "Best Buy" honor and selection as top performer in its Group Test of IPS vendors. For more information visit www.reflexsecurity.com/ , call 888-872-7555, or contact any authorized channel partner.

(1) Gartner, Inc. Research ID Number G00139232, 13 April 2006

Source: Apere, Inc.

CONTACT: media, Robin Lutchanksy, PR, for Apere, Inc., +1-408-369-8280, or robin@lcomm.com; or media, Patrick Rafter, PR, of Reflex Security,
+1-617-901-2697, or patrick.rafter@reflexsecurity.com

Web site: www.reflexsecurity.com/
http://www.apere.com/

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