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ScriptLogic Ships Updated Desktop Admin Tool

ScriptLogic is shipping version 6.5 of its Desktop Authority PC administration package.

The upgrade makes improvements in file and registry security operations, Windows firewall control and inactivity timers. It also adds optional patch deployment and distribution capabilities, as well as optional spyware detection and removal, according to a statement from the Boca Raton, Fla. company.

“Companies can rely on Desktop Authority to closely control settings vital to overall corporate IT security, which assists with regulatory compliance and other company-wide initiatives, while benefiting from the time and cost savings based on streamlined desktop administration,” the company’s statement says.

Version 6.5 adds close control of permissions on NTFS files, folders and registry keys, enabling administrators to proactively implement access policies on files, folders and the registry. Additionally, the update provides new controls related to the firewall installed as part of Windows XP Service Pack 2. Desktop Authority also now supports easy configuration of file and printer sharing, custom scopes, blocked program notifications and reporting of ICMP information.

The inactivity timers in Desktop Authority add support for multiple inactivity settings, letting administrators have more flexibility in logging users off, executing after-hours scripts, and shutting users’ workstations down. And version 6.5 includes new functions to let administrators delete desktop files permanently (without the possibility of data recovery) to meet DoD 5220.22-M specifications. Further, administrators can use ScriptLogic’s Validation Logic technology combined with the file operations capability to perform complex functions such as scanning for specific applications and securely deleting temporary files that may contain sensitive information at logoff.

A 50-seat installation of Desktop Authority 6.5 with both the patch distribution and spyware removal options costs $1,900 for 50 client access licenses plus a year’s maintenance. The patch distribution and deployment option costs an additional $500 per year, while the spyware removal option costs $500, also for a year.

About the Author

Stuart J. Johnston has covered technology, especially Microsoft, since February 1988 for InfoWorld, Computerworld, Information Week, and PC World, as well as for Enterprise Developer, XML & Web Services, and .NET magazines.

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