'Worry Free' Client/Server Messaging Security

This security suite from Trend Micro is aimed at small and medium networks, fights malware and includes monitoring and reporting tools

A close cousin of their enterprise offering on the same

lines, the 'Worry Free' is aimed at reducing the burden on the administrator

to stay on top of attacks all the time. This product suite offers both network

protection (in the form of a firewall), as well as an anti-malware agent. The

messaging component installs into MS Exchange and scans for both spam and

malware. The administrative console of the system is called the 'Security

Dashboard' and provides really detailed reporting with controls to do

everything from remotely deploying agents on client systems to scanning and

monitoring them.

You need to install the system first onto a server.

Ideally, this would be separate from other servers you are running. The

installation is fairly straightforward and takes four stages to complete. During

this time, you need to provide a number of settings, most of which come

pre-defined and pre-selected. Once fully installed on this system, you can use

its four subsystems: the Security Dashboard, Security Server, Client/Server

Security Agent and the Messaging Security Agent.

The dashboard



Configuration information is fairly detailed and easy to set up using the

Dashboard. It lets you automate most security tasks like mail scanning, alerts

for outbreaks and initiate and control scanning on clients. On this interface,

there is a 'Live Status' section where you can monitor everything in real

time, all neatly classified by their status and criticality.

In addition, the Dashboard also lets the administrator

manage definition and application updates for all components of the suite, with

full rollback facility. Updates can be downloaded manually or on a schedule. You

can also upload update files if you have received them through other means (like

a CD). Further, if your organization is large enough and you're running your

own update server, you can let the program download updates from that server as

well. The rollback feature lets you revert to previous definition files (if

needed). Other options provided by the Dashboard include: deployment of

client/server security agents to the various desktops and servers and setting up

scan parameters for users. The configuration tools affect settings for both the

anti virus and firewall. You can also setup desktop privileges such as the

authority to enable/disable the agent and select the quarantine directory. The

anti virus and firewall components both have a detailed list of configurations

for Client/Server and can be configured to very discrete levels of security

options.

Security Server



At the heart of the update management system, it collects logs and helps

control virus outbreaks. The Security Server also makes sure to minimize damage

in case a threat has already broken; it updates the definitions from the server,

and checks for possible damages already incurred due to that threat. The

Security Server distributes the updated virus definitions to clients too.

Agents



The Client/Server Security Agents interact with Security Server to provide

vital information on security status of the clients where they are installed.

One good thing about these agents is that they can be deployed to a remote

client very easily from the 'Security Settings' tab of the Dashboard. It

allows the administrator to set up scheduled scans for the clients. This

provides a complete automation of security tasks from a centralized console.

How good?



While testing the anti-virus capabilities, we executed a remote scanning of

a client Win XP PC purposely infected with our collection of viruses. The

anti-virus was able to detect all of them, even scanning recursively through ZIP

files. A notable performance feature about the software was that the 'Live

Status' window also updated to show information of the actions taken as the

scan progressed. The firewall blocked communications from the client completely

on the network.

We also tested the Messaging Security Agent by throwing

spam on an MS Exchange e-mail account. Here too, there was a real-time scanning

option available, and status updated accordingly in Live Status screen.

Bottom Line: With a detailed interface for

centralized control and wide range of features, this security suite may be your

answer to being 'worry free' as the name promises, for both network and

server/client security.

Anadi Misra