Data Center Firm, Verizon Business, Unveils Managed Security Service

Basking Ridge, New Jersey - (The Hosting News) - March 26, 2008 - Web host and Internet solutions firm, Verizon Business, has unveiled a new managed security service, to assist organizations to better protect total IT infrastructure.

The offering was developed to defend against increasing threats to business applications. From the network to the end- user, Verizon Business will offer enterprise customers a better way to protect their software and web applications that underlie critical business processes. The new Application Log Monitoring and Management Service will augment Verizon Business' Managed Security Services (MSS) portfolio, which helps deliver end-to-end protection of an organization's entire IT 'stack' -- the computing structure that includes the network, data, application and user layers).

The new service enables customers to efficiently log, track and analyze user and system activity of software and Web applications, operating systems, and Web and database servers while avoiding the cost and complexity of building, maintaining and monitoring an in-house log management infrastructure. The Application Log Monitoring and Management Service will be available in the U.S. and many countries around the world, beginning next month. The new offering enables users to better mitigate risk, control IT costs, reduce complexity, and automate security compliance initiatives. As a result, customers can react more quickly to security threats, gain speedy access to critical information, and facilitate security compliance audits.

Counse Broders, Senior Research Director, Current Analysis noted, ''Verizon Business continues to deliver on managed security solutions for its clients with a nuanced log monitoring and management service extended to applications that will help clients better deal with compliance and regulatory requirements while gaining 24 x 7 expertise. Verizon Business' new service moves security further up the IT stack to the application level, helping to drive the industry forward.''

With one of the world's most expansive IP networks, Verizon Business has a unique view into the global security threat landscape. Customers can rely on Verizon Business' expert security capabilities and advanced analysis to provide visibility into -- and the ability to mitigate -- new and emerging threats that may affect a business.

Kerry Bailey, Vice President of Verizon Business Security Solutions noted, ''Today's approach to security is holistic. Gone are the days of relying solely on network-layer security to protect information assets. As the leading global provider of managed information security solutions and operator of one of the world's most expansive IP networks, we are well- positioned to secure our customers' infrastructure -- from the network to the user level, and everywhere in between.''

According to industry analyst firm Forrester Research, Internet attacks are shifting from the network to software and web applications. The firm noted: ''Cyber attacks have moved up from the network layer to the application layer. Applications, especially web applications, have become prime targets for attackers because they create, present, modify, and store sensitive data, from credit card numbers to intellectual property.'' (Forrester, ''Five Trends That Will Shape The IT Security Profession In 2008,'' By Jonathan Penn with Tom Pohlmann, Paul Stamp and Allison Herald, Dec. 28, 2007.)

By outsourcing log management infrastructure to Verizon Business, it is believed that customers can better protect their global operations against security threats. The managed service includes automated collection, correlation, analysis of current and historical data, comprehensive reporting, secure archiving, and retrieval of application log data such as audit records and user activity logs.

Using advanced correlation and classification of logged security data, Verizon Business' team of security experts can filter out real threats and, when necessary, react quickly to neutralize potential threats and attacks against customers. A key feature of the service is that it allows organizations to maintain the proper IT controls and reporting requirements needed to help them address industry standards and security regulations such as the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), COBIT 4.0, Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and ISO 17799.

Best practice IT frameworks dictate that organizations collect, periodically review and securely archive their security log data for a defined period of time. Additionally, the ability to archive log data provides customers with secure, scalable storage and fast access to log data on the customer premises, which helps to facilitate quicker security audits.

Verizon Business' comprehensive Managed Security Services portfolio is designed to provide security monitoring and management of premises-, cloud- and Software as a Service (SAAS)-based solutions to protect the extended enterprise. Verizon Business MSS uniquely complements an organization's in-house capabilities with round-the-clock analysis and expertise. Enterprises and government agencies rely on Verizon Business to help them manage security risk and protect critical company assets.

Verizon Business Security Solutions offers a comprehensive portfolio of security services that include threat and vulnerability management; identity management; security and compliance programs; and security strategy and consultation. The more than 1,100 security professionals around the globe deliver these offerings through a range of managed services, professional services and products.

Verizon Business, one of the largest providers of communications services to the U.S. federal government, serves virtually every federal agency. Verizon Business is one of the largest global providers of advanced data, Internet and voice communications services. Verizon Business offers local-to-global-to-local network capabilities coupled with a broad range of telecommunications products and services, including managed network services and systems integration, to all levels of government. With this broad portfolio of services, Verizon Business will make an effort to provide federal agencies with one-stop shopping for their communications or connectivity needs. The company has built the next-generation services that are helping to transform the way government customers -- and their constituents -- do business.

Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ), is a provider of advanced communications and information technology (IT) solutions to large business and government customers worldwide. Combining global network reach with advanced technology and professional service capabilities, Verizon Business delivers a range of IT and Hosting solutions to fully outsource data centers, storage, application management and IT help desks.

To learn more about the security service, please visit: www.verizonbusiness.com/us/security.

For more information about Verizon Business, please visit: www.verizonbusiness.com.