Perimeter Focuses On Panoply Of Threats To Your Computer
Companies sometimes have so many security breaches their executives just throw their hands up and do nothing, said Brad Miller, CEO of Perimeter eSecurity, Milford, Conn. (2007 CRN Fast Growth No. 61).
Miller recently shared with CRN his insights into the security arena and the solution provider's ongoing work.
CRN: How does Perimeter differentiate itself in the security solutions business?
Miller: Most technology companies start with a specific problem in mind—antivirus, intrusion detection, antispam—and they are very focused on that issue. We looked at the landscape of security. There seemed to be a new problem every day, and a new solution every day. It was never-ending. The real problem was that companies do not have one specific problem: They have lots of problems and there are lots of solutions.
CRN: Seems overwhelming.
Miller: One problem was how does a company use a broad array of security technologies without driving itself crazy. There are more than 100 security technologies, never mind brands. There are always going to be new problems. Spam one day, phishing the next. The average large company uses 32 different security vendors to cobble together one solution.
CRN: Sounds like you simplify the solution.
Miller: Our network security utility tries to make security as available as the cable company makes movies over the television.
Perimeter's on-demand solutions are offered on a network (in the cloud), so there's no equipment at the customer's premises. By doing it in the cloud, we build a certain solution once and let a lot of clients use it. They don't have to look at vendors, demo product, wonder how it works with other technologies. They don't want an IT project; that's our job. If they decide they want to stop spam, we'll do it. If the next day they want to stop phishing, we'll do that. It's like picking pay-per-view from cable. One of our catchphrases is, "no assembly required."
CRN: Many solution providers explain that it's a hard sell to convince their customers that they need security. Even in this day and age.
Miller: We don't try to convince people they need security. We sell to people who already believe, and we explain that we can solve their security issues more easily [than the competition].
We tend to focus on industries that have a high degree of regulation; the nature of those industries requires them to be more sensitive, for example, banking and financial services. We partner with those with industry experts. Our target market already knows they have a problem. We're not doing missionary work. We know you have lots of problems: Your No. 1 problem is putting a solution together. We can attack any one of those, or a combination.
CRN: What are some of the biggest concerns in terms of security?
Miller: Phishing in the financial services world is one of that industry's biggest concerns. Believe it or not, general Web surfing is pretty hazardous. Now viruses can be gotten from Web sites.
There is something now called "spear phishing," where [the e-mails] target a certain type of person. The spear phishers get hold of mailing lists and when you receive the e-mail, it's so specific to you, and you can't think it's a scam.