Esphion ready to stop web worms

By RICHARD WOOD

Kiwi software start-up Esphion has joined Datacom subsidiary Interconnect to sell its anti-denial of service and network analysis software as a managed service.

Esphion marketing manager Kevin Black said the service would have protected companies during the Slammer worm attack that almost brought the internet to its knees last week.

Interconnect account manager Mike Clancy said early discussions were taking place with a couple of Government and finance organisations, and Datacom itself was considering using it.

"It's a niche product for the high-end, high-bandwidth users such as defence, banking and telcos."

He said a managed service was probably the easiest way to sell it to such customers, and businesses such as smaller internet providers would get gains from it if a consolidator of internet traffic signed up.

Black said Esphion's netDeflect software worked by identifying anomalous traffic rather than specific worm or virus signatures.

"With an event like Slammer nobody knew about it, so there was no signature out there."

Bad traffic can trigger automatic cut-offs or request human intervention.

Interconnect will be able to deal with an issue immediately, or advise the client what needs to be done.

Black said the key to the service was that it was a process supported by technology.

"Our technology spots something but it's Interconnect's process as to how that is communicated to the client, and what levels of authority they will give Interconnect [to act]."

He said there would always be the need for some manual intervention.

"We've looked at fully automated solutions but they are just a little too dangerous."

For example, in the case of e-commerce, the different traffic might be caused by a sales promotion and cutting the traffic off would be a disaster.

Hackers could also trigger automatic tools for their own ends, he said.

While netDeflect's job was to defend the organisation, Esphion's netDetail software works within the organisation to provide an intensive traffic analysis.

"It answers questions like, 'What is my bandwidth being used for? Which departments are the greedy users?'," said Black.

Clancy said that although Esphion had international competitors, its technology was unique and the managed service approach gave the company a competitive advantage.

Interconnect has yet to forecast its likely sales but he said it expected a solid return on its investment. Pricing has yet to be established.

Esphion has 14 staff, and is based in Albany.