The platform automatically discovers all systems and devices on a network and scans for exposures to risk.
nCircle, a provider of automated security and compliance auditing
solutions, announced the release of PureCloud, a network security
scanning service aimed at small and midsize businesses. PureCloud
combines enterprise-class security technology with a user-friendly
browser-based scanning service. The service can scan both internal and
external networks without requiring any hardware or software to be
deployed. PureCloud will be free for the next 30 days. After Dec. 16,
pricing will start at $3.50 to scan an individual IP once or $24 for
unlimited scanning of an individual IP for one year.
PureCloud is designed to simplify network security for smaller
businesses and delivers the same nCircle vulnerability scanning
technology used to protect networks through a Web-based point and click
interface. Unlike some other vulnerability scanning products and
services, PureCloud requires no software or hardware, and no changes to
firewalls.
The platform automatically discovers all systems and devices on a
network, scans for tens of thousands of vulnerabilities and exposures
to risk, and provides guidance on how to fix all discovered weaknesses.
Cyber-security threats to smaller businesses are so serious that the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently issued cyber-security
guidelines specifically for smaller business owners. The average cost
for small businesses, per data breach incident, was $188,242 - enough
to sink or seriously damage many companies.
Tony Bradley, a security blogger and author of "Essential Computer
Security," got an early look at PureCloud. "PureCloud lets small
businesses identify and assess the vulnerabilities in their network
with nothing more than a Web browser and a few clicks," Bradley said.
"It is just the sort of security solution that small and medium
businesses need to proactively protect their networks and meet
regulatory requirements."
PureCloud generates a complete inventory of the network and can
identify more than 46,000 different conditions associated with security
risks for all systems on the network, including laptops, desktops,
servers, networked printers, network devices such as routers, firewalls
and wireless access points IP phones and mobile devices. It also works
with operating systems and applications including Windows XP, Windows
Vista, Windows 7, Linux and others, email servers, Web servers and
peer-to-peer file sharing.
"It is an acknowledged fact that best-practice security begins with
vulnerability scanning," said Jim Acquaviva, vice president of product
strategy at nCircle. "Small to medium businesses need a simple,
cost-effective solution to proactively improve the security of their
network and protect their data, and nCircle PureCloud meets this need
exactly."
Nathan Eddy is Associate Editor, Midmarket, at eWEEK.com. Before joining eWEEK.com, Nate was a writer with ChannelWeb and he served as an editor at FierceMarkets. He is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
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