Cisco combats network worms
Cisco Systems is to combat the spread of computer worms across internal networks.
Cisco's Network Admission Control program is designed to minimise the threat posed when mobile or guest users connect infected PCs to internal company networks.
Infections from worms such as Blaster and Nimda are frequently traced back to mobile or remote workers; their PCs are less likely to have AV protection and up-to-date security. Often infections from such sources break out long after the initial viral onslaught.
To minimise this secondary infection threat, Cisco is developing a network admission control system designed to enforce tighter security policies.
Network bouncers
Customers using Cisco's network admission control system can permit network access only to compliant and trusted endpoint devices (for example, PCs, servers, personal digital assistants) and restrict the access of non-compliant devices.
In its initial phase, Cisco's Network Admission Control technology will enable Cisco routers to enforce access privileges when an endpoint device attempts to connect to a network. So devices without up-to-date patches or AV signature definition files can be denied network access, placed in a quarantined area, or given restricted access to computing resources.
