Managed Security Services

Managed Security Service Levels

Traditional firewall security provides basic protection by blocking access to user-specified IP addresses and TCP ports. While never completely foolproof, for a time that level of firewall technology did an adequate job of protecting user networks from most Internet-borne attacks. Over the years, Internet-based threats have become much more sophisticated and are now designed to circumvent the limited capabilities of the traditional firewall technology.Today, firewalls that were recently both popular and effective have become vulnerable to the technology behind most modern Internet-borne threats. To address this problem, newer firewall technologies have evolved that can more effectively provide the foundation of a multi-layer security scheme. Bright House Networks Business Solutions offers two powerful service options with our Managed Security Service to keep your business network assets secure.

Unified Threat Management

Bright House Networks Business Solutions provides network security solutions from SonicWALL, an industry leader that has developed the most advanced and cost-effective security solutions in the market. The SonicWALL platform provides unsurpassed price-performance and multi-layer security services ranging from basic firewall protection to full Unified Threat Management (UTM).

UTM includes gateway Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware and Intrusion Prevention services. These services are software-based applications that examine all network traffic attempting to pass through the firewall, compare the data to a database of thousands of known threats and, in the event a match is found, block the traffic in the firewall before it can penetrate the network and do any harm. The signature database is automatically updated every few hours to ensure the maximum level of security. UTM can block viruses and other threats that could potentially attack your network such as those that are embedded in web pages, attached to e-mail messages or may be using a "back door" that a traditional firewall would not stop.

UTM can also be used to control non-business-related Internet use such as access to inappropriate Internet sites. With SonicWALL Content Filtering which is included with UTM, you can implement your company's Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) and prevent network abuse before it happens. Your Managed Security Service from Bright House Networks Business Solutions includes Management Reports that enable you to determine how your employees are using your network. You can see if employees are visiting objectionable sites, determine whether certain sites or activities such as the use of streaming media, peer-to-peer network applications (frequently used to share music) and Instant Messaging should be blocked, and then block them for only those employees that you specify. By proactively implementing your AUP using UTM, you can prevent undesired network usage before it occurs and that will result in:

• Increased worker productivity
• Reduced legal risks from inappropriate web browsing
• Increased network bandwidth

Threat Detection System

Threats to your network's security are not as easy to spot as they once were. Malicious software is typically designed to be concealed within legitimate network usage. Modern multi-layer firewall-based technology that uses updated anti-virus databases will stop nearly all known malicious software before it penetrates your network, but not all threats are known and not all threats can be stopped. New software viruses are constantly being released and limiting the window of opportunity for them to cause damage requires timely anti-virus software development and distribution. Your mobile users' laptops that may be infected while they are away from your secure network can inadvertently carry viruses inside your network. If viruses and other malicious software do get inside your network, they need to be detected and eliminated right away. This is beyond the capabilities of even today's most sophisticated firewalls which are designed to catch problems before and not after they penetrate your network. To protect your network from the inside, our Threat Detection System continuously examines what's happening on your network and detects suspicious activity. Each day our Threat Detection System examines millions of event records received from firewalls all over the country. Our automated systems sift through these records and use them to help learn what your normal network usage patterns are and what would constitute abnormal usage that may indicate a problem. Often the only indication of a problem is a simple change in the behavior of a computer from one day to the next. For example, if a computer that never sends any email suddenly starts sending a large quantity of email, it is mostly likely infected with malicious software and this behavior will trigger an event in our Threat Detection system. Our Threat Detection systems perform dozens of tests every few minutes and every hour to determine if there are active threats operating within your business network. If our systems determine there is a potential problem, all of the related information is combined and presented to a security analyst whose job it is to investigate the event and determine if the threat is real or not. If the incident is determined to be a problem, we immediately contact you or your designated systems administrator to resolve the issue.

Our Guardian and Sentry packages provide our advanced Threat Detection service and can be optionally added to any SonicWALL platform. This technology allows us to identify threats inside your network and notify you in the event of a problem. You can choose to have your network monitored Monday-Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (Guardian-level service) or 24/7/365 (Sentry-level service).

The Unified Threat Management (UTM) Enhanced Security Package – a highly recommended option – from SonicWALL provides Gateway Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware, Intrusion Prevention as well as Content Filtering that can be added to any service level.

Response time for non-emergency requests is four business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Response time for emergency requests is one hour, 24/7. More than just security – the technology used to deliver these state-of-the-art security solutions also help solve every day business challenges.

Managed Security Services from Bright House Networks Business Solutions: the cost-effective way to provide the equipment, personnel, expertise and time to protect your business information assets.

Click here to contact your Business Solutions Account Executive for more information about Managed Security Services.