Fidelis prevents data leakage

Fidelis Security Systems has teamed with Government Technology Solutions (GvTechSolutions) to help government agencies prevent unauthorized network transfers of sensitive information.

GvTechSolutions, a leading security tools and technology supplier to federal, state and local government agencies, is now the exclusive General Services Administration contract holder for Fidelis' DataSafe Extrusion Prevention System, a suite of identity management products.

DataSafe protects digital assets from unauthorized disclosure across all network channels, including e-mail connections, HTTP, Web-based e-mail, FTP, instant messaging services and peer-to-peer communications.

To protect digital assets, agencies must know more than simply who is accessing the network and what systems they can access. They must also know what sensitive information is leaving their organizations, said David Etue, Fidelis’ marketing director.

DataSafe prevents the network transfer of digital assets such as personal identity information, credit card data, health care records, intellectual property and classified documents, allowing organizations to enforce compliance with internal policies and government regulations, Fidelis officials said.

DataSafe software resides on Linux-based servers known as sensors that are placed at network exit points, such as near an Internet firewall or a connection to another agency, Etue said. A central management server monitors all the sensors for activity that violates an agency’s security policy, he added.

Federal officials seem to be more aware of the importance of preventing data leakage than some industry executives, Etue said. For example, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. uses DataSafe to protect the personal and financial data it has to store for nearly 44.3 million workers and retirees in more than 31,000 pension plans.

The alliance with GvTechSolutions, which is known for its expertise in information assurance security solutions, will help Fidelis reach more potential users in the federal space, Etue said. Before the arrangement with the systems integrator, Fidelis sold DataSafe directly to federal customers.

The company also has contracted with Science Applications International Corp.’s Common Criteria Testing Lab to evaluate the DataSafe Extrusion Prevention System. SAIC officials will work closely with Fidelis to ensure that the suite adheres to the requirements set forth by Common Criteria, an internationally approved set of security standards.