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Messaging Security - Appliance

Messaging Security - Appliance

Messaging security appliance is a category focused on securing and protecting an organization’s communication infrastructure. Communication channels can include email software, messaging apps, and social network IM platforms. This extra layer of security can help secure devices and block a wider range of viruses or malware attacks.

Messaging security helps to ensure the confidentiality and authenticity of an organization’s communication methods. Confidentiality refers to making sure only the intended recipients are able to read the messages and authenticity refers to making sure the identity of each sender or recipient is verified.

Oftentimes, attackers aim to gain access to an entire network or system by infiltrating the messaging infrastructure. Implementing proper messaging security can minimize the chance of data leaks and identity theft.

In order to ensure messaging performance and security, a few measures should be put into place. The first is an IP-reputation filter that checks email connection requests against a database of legitimate senders. If the sender is found to be associated with malware or spam, the program blocks the message and drops the connection. Additionally, administrators should set up an IP whitelist and blacklist to ensure that trusted sources are always allowed access and known malicious sources are always denied.

Another measure that should be implemented is a combination of zero-hour and signature-based detection methods. Zero-hour detection collects a large number of messages as a reference so that any message that falls outside of the pattern is flagged. This type of detection can stop outbreaks in situations where the signature is not yet available. Signature-based detection blocks spam without opening the message contents. Instead, an algorithm is used to determine the message’s signature, or fingerprint-like information that verifies its authenticity.

The most popular products in category Messaging Security - Appliance All category products

Barracuda Email Security Gateway
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Calyptix AccessEnforcer UTM Firewall
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F.A.Q. about Messaging Security - Appliance

What is messaging security?

Messaging Security is an appliance with a program that provides protection for companies' messaging infrastructure. The programs include IP reputation-based anti-spam, pattern-based anti-spam, administrator-defined block/allow lists, mail antivirus, zero-hour malware detection, and email intrusion prevention.

Six Dimensions of Comprehensive Messaging Security

  • IP-Reputation Anti-spam. It checks each email connection request with a database of IP addresses to establish whether a sender is a legitimate or known spam sender and malware. If a sender is recognized it undesirable the messaging Security program drops the connection before the message is accepted.
  • Pattern-based anti-spam utilizes a proprietary algorithm to establish a fingerprint-like signature of email messages. When a message comes in, its pattern is calculated and checked against a database to determine if the message matches a known email pattern. This approach provides content-agnostic protection and blocks spam without looking at any of the actual message content.
  • Block/Allow List Anti-spam. Administrators can create a list of IP addresses or domains that they would like to either block or allow. This method ensures that trusted sources are explicitly allowed and unwanted sources are explicitly denied access.
  • Mail Antivirus. This layer of protection blocks a wide range of known viruses and malware attacks.
  • Zero-Hour Malware Protection. By analyzing large numbers of messages, outbreaks are detected along with their corresponding messages. These message patterns are then flagged as malicious, giving information about a given attack. With this information, outbreaks are blocked before a signature may be available, protecting the network in the critical period of attack development.
  • SmartDefense Email IPS. The messaging security program utilizes SmartDefense Email IPS to stop attacks targeting the messaging infrastructure. Such attacks aim to gain access to the protected network, bring down a piece of the messaging infrastructure, or utilize the messaging infrastructure as a resource for launching new attacks.

Characteristics of Messaging Security

  1. Protection against advanced spam such as image-based and multi-language spam.
  2. Antivirus protection through the combination of both zero-hour and signature-based detection.
  3. UTM solution for Messaging Security that is content and Language-independent.
  4. Advanced, real-time IP-reputation service.
  5. On-session email blocking (emails are checked and blocked during the original SMTP/POP3 session).