News

Cisco Launches Security Associate Program

• By Scott Bekker
• 08/10/1999

Seventeen network security companies comprise the program's charter membership. As the key element of this new program, Cisco will use an independent testing laboratory to validate the interoperability of Security Associate member products with Cisco security products, such as its PIX firewall and IPSec encryption offerings.

This network-focused testing approach helps Cisco and its Security Associate members jointly deliver comprehensive, effective solutions that will help secure mission-critical customer networks.

Cisco will use KeyLabs, an independent testing laboratory, to certify select third-party security products interoperate and integrate with Cisco security products and network infrastructure. This focused testing is designed to evolve independent products into more effective security solutions, and offer trusted and tested security implementations for Cisco customers.

"The Security Associate program goes beyond marketing and instead molds individual products into comprehensive solutions through engineering design and testing," said Jack Guinan, President, ProxyMed, a provider of online clinical and financial electronic data interexchange to the health care industry.

Products included in the Security Associate program augment the robust security capabilities delivered by Cisco's firewall, virtual private network (VPN), intrusion detection, vulnerability scanning and infrastructure security offerings. The security solutions created through the program are focused toward critical business applications for the Internet economy, such as e-commerce, remote access, intranets, and supply-chain integration and management. The initial technology areas covered in the program include: Public Key Infrastructure, IPSec VPN client software, management and reporting, content filtering, virus scanning and authentication. Other technology areas will be added to the program over time. -- Thomas Sullivan