iSolation Server™ 4.0 using Blended Threat Protection™ to block attacks using active content

Hackers are increasingly using alternative attack vectors to breach corporate systems and blended threats are becoming a new tool of choice. E-mail blended threats use active content such as Java™, JavaScript™, or ActiveX™ or embedding URLs in the e-mail to link the user to Web sites where malware can be downloaded in the background. These attacks are missed by anti-virus products looking for malware as e-mail attachments, and by Web- filters focused on content, not viruses and spyware.

Avinti™, a developer of proactive e-mail security solutions, unveiled today iSolation Server™ 4.0, which includes new technology for Blended Threat Protection™ to block attacks using active content and URLs embedded in e-mail.

Avinti's proactive approach and its Blended Threat Protection offer a very effective solution because it doesn't rely on signatures or Web site reputation to be effective.

"Our research team found that up to 40% of all e-mail contain URL links or active content, of which more than 7% link the user to Web sites where malware is downloaded to the user's system," said Avinti CEO William Kilmer "We believe the increased use of blended threats is a significant risk to organizations and Avinti's Blended Threat Protection™ for e-mail is a leap forward in preventing these types of attacks and their consequences."

"Blended threats are a growing concern because these high-level risks are being designed to bypass traditional anti-virus products and Web filters," said Michael Osterman, president of Osterman Research, a leading analyst firm. "Avinti's proactive approach and its Blended Threat Protection offer a very effective solution because it doesn't rely on signatures or Web site reputation to be effective."

Avinti has extended its patent-pending behavior observation technology used to detect e-mail-based viruses, including first-instance and target threats, to solving the problem of blended threats. In addition to looking at attachments, the iSolation Server™ can proactively search the body of the e-mail for active content and URLs. It quickly filters potential threats, and observes the behavior of suspicious Web content, looking for actions of web-based malware in its Observation Engine™ and takes action on those threats. Administrator settings provide options to block, warn, or neutralize the e-mail-based content. Avinti's approach doesn't rely on signatures and is effective at catching even new malware.

"Avinti's iSolation Server™ is uniquely positioned to stop the biggest attack vectors today, including first-instance attacks, targeted threats, and mass variant attacks," said Kilmer. "A recent study by Independent Security Evaluators found Avinti's iSolation Server™ to be the most effective e-mail security solution at finding and blocking new malware with a 99.09% success rate. (1) We are excited to provide that same effective technology to blocking e-mail-based blended threats as well."

The iSolation Server™ 4.0 with Blended Threat Protection™ is currently in Beta testing and will be available in June 2007. Upgrades will be made available to all current Avinti customers as part of their subscription.

For more information on iSolation Server™ or Blended Threat Protection™, or a whitepaper on blended threats, visit www.avinti.com.