Week in Security: Appliance Market Grows, 1Q Profits and Losses

• Check Point Software Technologies launched a new partner program for solution providers serving small businesses. The Check Point Small Business Partner Program, as reported in CRN earlier this year, allows solution providers to sell Check Point's Safe@ products and VPN-1/FireWall-1 Small Office NG to small businesses with 100 employees or fewer. The program's benefits include listing on Check Point's Web-based partner locator, co-marketing funds, and online sales and technical training.
• Worldwide security appliance market revenue was $355 million in the fourth quarter of 2002, up 15 percent from the previous quarter, according to IDC. Firewall/VPN appliances led the market segment, but network intrusion detection showed 19 percent sequential growth. Cisco maintained its leading position in the security appliance market with 37 percent, and NetScreen posted the most sequential growth, the market-research firm said.
• Symantec launched Web Security 3.0, which provides gateway virus protection and Web filtering for HTTP and FTP traffic. The software now features centralized management of multiple servers. It runs on Solaris, Windows NT and 2000.
• GE Access said it is offering the Sun LX50 VPN/Firewall Appliance running Check Point software. The Linux-based device provides 2Gbps FireWall-1 throughput and 60Mbps VPN-1 throughput.
• RSA Security posted a return to profit with first-quarter earnings of $1.7 million on $61.3 million in revenue. That compares with a loss of $13.7 million on $55.5 million in revenue for the same quarter a year ago.
• Network Associates posted a first-quarter loss of $3.7 million on $215.2 million in revenue, citing cutbacks in enterprise spending. That compares with earnings of $15.7 million on revenue of $220.7 million the same quarter last year.
• Fortinet announced the FortiManager System, a tool that allows large enterprises and service providers to automate the deployment and management of hundreds or thousands of FortiGate Antivirus Firewalls across multiple installations.
• Teros, a supplier of Web application security appliances, appointed Sanjay Mehta as vice president of business development. Mehta, who managed business development and channel activities for Axent Technologies, Symantec and TruSecure, will build relationships with other vendors, systems integrators and VARs.
• NetContinuum, a provider of Web and application security products, said it secured $20 million in new financing to fund international expansion and product development. The company has a total of $54 million in funding.
• Sygate Technologies said it expanded its Sygate Secure Enterprise software to include automated policy enforcement.