Dell Bolsters Security of Commercial PCs with New Encryption, Advanced Authentication, and Malware Protection Solutions
Dell has unveiled a comprehensive security suite that combines encryption, authentication, and malware prevention, to protect its business PC customers from a variety of attacks.
Called “Dell Data Protection“, the new capabilities include three distinct software components—DDP Encryption for comprehensive data protection, new authentication software DDP Security Tools, and DDP Protected Workspace, which will protect users from malware and targeted attacks online, Brett Hansen, executive director of end user computing at Dell, told SecurityWeek.
DDP will be available for commercial customers when they purchase Dell Precision workstations, OptiPlex desktops, and Latitude laptops and tablets, Hansen said. DDP Protected Workspace will be powered by Invincea’s malware detection and prevention technology to protect data and users from targeted attacks, Hansen said. DDP Protected Workspace stays out of the way of the end-user while protecting their online activities.
With DDP, Dell is providing an integrated security solution that will allow customers to protect their end-points while still embracing new tools and platforms, Hansen said.
End-users are daily bombarded with phishing and targeted attacks that try to trick them into entering information, clicking on links, or opening a file, Anup Ghosh, CEO and founder of Invincea, told SecurityWeek. With DDP Protected Workspace (PDF), businesses now have a proactive approach that can detect targeted attacks at the point of attack and block the aggressive attacks effectively.
Invincea’s endpoint protection addresses spear-phishing, watering hole attacks, drive-by downloads, poisoned search engine results, and more threats that target end users. Since Invincea places users inside a protected environment every time they access the Internet or open a file delivered via e-mail, it can detect real-time attacks based on behaviors and modifications made to the virtual system. This way, users are protected from unknown malware and zero-day exploits.
“Each time an employee access the Internet or opens an e-mail attachment, they run the risk of becoming the unwitting accomplice to a data breach,” Ghosh said, adding that DDP restores “confidence that their organizations are protected.”
There have been several high-profile watering hole attacks in the last few months, such as the one targeting Department of Energy employees by infecting a portion of the Department of Labor’s Website, Ghosh said. Having Protected Workspace will protect these users from these types of attacks.
By partnering with Dell, Invincea is able to extend its reach and technology to a larger pool of users than otherwise, Ghosh said. All the malware and threat-related data will be added to Invincea’s cloud-based intelligence platform for additional analysis by Invincea’s team of analysts. None of the user data will be transferred.
DDP Encryption simplifies endpoint security with a centralized remote management console and encryption that won’t interfere with existing IT processes such as patch management, Dell said. It handles automatic user provisioning and lets businesses protect files on a granular level, Hansen said.
DDP Security tools handle authentication policies and supports a broad range of options, including fingerprint, smart card and contactless smart card readers, and DellControlVault for secure hardware credential processing, Dell added. Authentication and encryption policies can be managed from the same console, making it easier for IT to stay on top of the tasks.
While DDP would be available on computers shipped directly from Dell, the company plans to make the protection suite available as a suite, as well, Hansen said. Dell will work with its commercial customers to identify systems already deployed in the enterprise that are not protected, Hansen said.
