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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.”