SBC Communications Announces Addition of Intrusion Prevention to Suite of Managed Security Services for Corporate Networks

Business Wire, June 21, 2005

SAN ANTONIO -- New Managed Security Service Helps to Detect, Test, Isolate and Neutralize Network Security Threats

With corporate data networks at an ever-growing risk from disruptive and destructive network security threats, including worms and virus outbreaks, SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE: SBC) today announced the addition of a powerful new intrusion prevention service to its portfolio of SBC PremierSERV(SM) Managed Security Services.

The new SBC PremierSERV Managed Intrusion Prevention Service (IPS) provides business customers with a cost-effective, professionally managed tool that can detect, contain and/or neutralize both known network threats as well as previously unidentified threats, also known as "zero day" threats. These malicious intrusions - in the form of viruses and worms on network clients such as servers, laptops, desktops or other endpoints - can sometimes bypass traditional network perimeter-based security solutions.

"The focus of network security is rapidly evolving from detection to eradication. With Managed IPS, we are not only able to identify interior threats, but can contain and respond to them in a real-time, automated fashion, which better protects the mission-critical data networks we plan, design, build, and operate for our business customers," said Mark P. Fishler, vice president, SBC product management. "The addition of an intrusion prevention service focused on the network interior complements our strong existing portfolio of managed security offerings and provides an additional layer of protection against potentially destructive zero day threats."

SBC PremierSERV Managed IPS utilizes a leading-edge network security solution from Mirage Networks that actively monitors and defends a network's interior, stopping network threats before they cause widespread damage. This device is installed on top of the corporate network (as opposed to an "in-line" design) and does not require expensive network re-architecture nor does it tax network bandwidth. No desktop software has to be purchased, installed or maintained.

Unlike previous generations of intrusion prevention technology, the security appliance used by Managed IPS provides heuristic-based (or discovery-based) zero day protection for business customers. The device responds to malicious activity based on its detection of suspicious network activity, rather than a signature-based approach that relies on a pre-determined database of signatures (or attributes) of known malicious threats.

SBC IPS differs from traditional firewall, intrusion detection services (IDS), and antivirus solutions in several ways. For example:

--SBC IPS monitors behavior of various computers and servers operating on the corporate network, as opposed to looking for known signatures of worms and viruses. This enables the service to identify malicious activity resulting from both known and unknown threats.

--SBC IPS monitors traffic between computers operating on a corporate network, serving as a complement to traditional firewall technology, which attempts to erect a barrier at the entry point to the corporate network. This enables detection of known and unknown threats resident on trusted computers inside the corporate network.

--SBC IPS automatically isolates and stops the propagation of detected threats without the need for software agents to be installed on individual computers.

The SBC companies' new intrusion prevention service can assist in mitigating a variety of network interior security threats. For example, a destructive worm or virus - such as MyDoom.BB - can infect a corporate network when an employee unknowingly downloads an infected file from a personal e-mail account to a corporate laptop on a home office network and then re-connects to the corporate network. The security appliance used by SBC PremierSERV Managed IPS is designed to detect the presence of the worm or virus on the re-connected laptop, test to verify if it is malicious, and, if determined to be malicious, quarantine the infected laptop to prevent the spread of the worm to other network hosts.

Managed IPS also includes device integration, configuration, 24x7 real-time monitoring by trained professionals at SBC security operations centers, security event notification, and response, trouble resolution, and reporting.

With the addition of the Managed IPS, SBC companies offer business customers access to a complete suite of SBC PremierSERV managed security service options administered by trained SBC personnel, including:

--Managed firewall services;

--Managed virus scanning;

--Managed content filtering;

--Vulnerability scanning: and,

--Managed intrusion detection.

To meet the needs of organizations with limited IT staff or security expertise, the SBC companies offer several of these services as part of CompleteSecure, an "all-in-one" package of security services. The CompleteSecure package includes virtual private networking (VPN), firewall administration, intrusion prevention, content filtering, and anti-virus services.