Check Point Adds Integrated Antispyware To Integrity 6.5

That combination gives enterprises client and server software working together to detect, quarantine and remove spyware with centralized policy management.

The updated Integrity 6.5 also gives partners new revenue opportunities, said Phil Lin, product marketing manager for the Redwood City, Calif.-based security software vendor.

“For one, partners now can sell the new antispyware module and the IM module, which we&'ve put back into the Integrity suite,” Lin said. “They also can tap into recurring revenue by selling our SmartDefense service, which is our annual service, geared to enterprises, for keeping spyware out. And for the first time, we&'ve started offering suite-based pricing,” he said. “We think customers will respond to the value that provides.”

Without question, the most important new feature in the updated Integrity software is Check Point&'s antispyware module, said David Daigle, CEO of Patriot Technologies, a Check Point partner in Frederick, Md.

“We&'re very happy to see Check Point expand its offerings to include spyware protection,” Daigle said. “It&'s something our customers have been asking about for a long time.”

Integrated directly into version 6.5, the antispyware software works with the Integrity client to block spyware from the PC, prevents infected PCs from communicating with the corporate network and prevents users from compromising security settings.

On the server side, the new module works to create policies, configure scanning and treatments and report on attempts to enter the system. And because the software makes use of data collected by Check Point&'s ZoneAlarm consumer community, Check Point&'s Enterprise SmartDefense Service can respond rapidly to new spyware threats, sending automatic updates to Integrity&'s users.

“We receive millions of points of realtime data from our ZoneAlarm community of users. From there, our research team can analyze the spyware and create the method to catch and stop it,” Lin said.

The Enterprise SmartDefense Service is priced at $9.25 per user per year for up to 1,000 users.

In addition, Integrity 6.5 now features what Check Point calls secure auto-remediation, which confirms the authenticity and integrity of antivirus files before they can be downloaded.

Customers with Integrity 6.0 can upgrade automatically to the new version. Check Point includes the basic Integrity server, which can support up to 100,000 PCs, with the licensed client software, Lin said. Pricing for the Integrity suite, including all modules and a one-year subscription to SmartDefense, is $67 per seat per 100 users. Customers can continue to buy per module, as well.

LARRY HOOPER contributed to this story.