Vendors Combine Security Management And Threat IntelligenceVendors Combine Security Management And Threat Intelligence

When it comes to IT security, many businesses operate in a reactive mode. They use a variety of point products to put out fires and clean up problems after an attack has taken place. Two security vendors on Monday revealed plans to deliver an alternative that combines consolidated security management with intelligence on worldwide threats to provide more a more proactive approach to security.

Intellitactics Inc. and iDefense Inc. plan to deliver an integrated system within 60 days. It will combine Intellitactics Security Manger and Security Reporter, which gather, consolidate, and analyze information from security devices, operating systems, applications, and other sources to help monitor, manage, and report on security threats and incidents, with iDefense iAlert, which tracks security issues around the world and provides real-time information on potential threats and vulnerabilities.

The integrated product will provide iAlert information within Intellitactics Security Manager, giving IT staff a broader context and a single console from which to analyze and respond to security threats. The iAlert data will include where threats are coming from, how extensive the attacks are, and how much damage they might cause. This will let customers do a better job of monitoring, prioritizing, and acting on security developments to prevent hackers and others from accessing computer systems and networks, the companies say.

The combination of the two products could help customers that need high levels of security, especially those in the government and financial-services markets served by Intellitactics and iDefense, says Scott Crawford, an industry analyst with Enterprise Management Associates. "Customers need this intelligence as part of management," he says. "Without it, operators are working in the blind, looking at information out of context."