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CipherTrust launched updated versions of its gateway security appliance on June 15, promising more sophisticated tools for regulating IT compliance issues and scanning images embedded in e-mail messages.
Dubbed IronMail 6.5, the gateway security appliance offers two new functional modules for managing compliance and scouring messages for viruses hidden in image files, a tactic commonly used by malware code writers looking to sneak programs past network defenses.
Both the Advanced Compliance Module and Image Analysis Module, which are sold separately, aim to automate tasks that typically demand interaction on the part of IT administrators in simplifying security management and reducing staffing costs.
Each of the new modules was built around CipherTrusts Compliance Profiler technology, which promises to analyze multiple types of files, including images, to filter for proprietary information flowing out of organizations networks, as well as external attacks attempting to penetrate the same systems.
The technology claims an ability to automatically teach itself which types of data a company using one of the devices is trying to protect. The vendor claims those tools eliminate the need for companies to build manual dictionaries for the same purpose.
The compliance program also offers a simplified rules definition system, new enforcement features and support for a number of languages, the company said.
In launching its Image Analysis Module, CipherTrust reported that its research group found that 10 percent of all e-mail messages contain some type of pornographic image or content, with the majority of those images being sent as .gif and .jpg files.
Many of those e-mails are also believed to be related to various forms of computer virus attacks and phishing schemes, as malware writers and spam distributors have found that embedding their work into images has proven useful in avoiding e-mail filters that do not scour for picture files.
CipherTrust said its analytical technology can scan 85 different types of image files to detect pornography or other unauthorized content, and includes both inbound and outbound message filtering capabilities that can be managed via the devices compliance policy settings.
The product also includes tunable configuration controls meant to give administrators greater flexibility to install customized compliance policies across different types of users, groups or domains, along with new tools for automating guideline enforcement processes.
The company said the appliances will be priced starting at $9,995 with the Advanced Compliance module, and starting at $5,995 for the Image Analysis system.