Webgate Network Appliance combines Anti-Botnet, Anti-Spyware, Anti-Virus, and URL Filtering Protection for the Price of Content Filtering Only Solutions

Sunnyvale, CA – July 23, 2007 – Mi5 Networks, the web security gateway company, today announced the Webgate Channel Partner Program for resellers looking to tap the market for Secure Web Gateways, which protect organizations from web-borne threats including botnets, spyware, and viruses. The program is designed to attract Best-of-Class regional VARs, while maximizing margins and minimizing channel conflicts.  Resellers can now provide customers a complete URL filtering, Web Malware, and Botnet protection solution for the same price as their URL filtering renewal budget.  Mi5 Networks sells exclusively through the reseller channel in North America.

The transition of cyber attacks from email to web-based vectors has shifted into high gear over the past 12 months. According to research conducted by Google, ten percent of URLs on the Internet contain potentially harmful executables that can automatically comprise a user’s PC when they visit the page. Meanwhile, research firm Gartner, Inc. predicts, “The Internet and Internet applications will be the primary sources of malware infections in the enterprise in 2008 and beyond. However, most organizations do not effectively filter malware from Web traffic. Detecting and preventing malware infections will increasingly require a network gateway at the Internet edge.”[1]

Promenet Inc., a leading provider of security, compliance, networking, and telecommunications services and solutions, is an early member of the Webgate Channel Partner Program. Says John Papaioannou, President and CEO, “Web traffic is now the easiest and most effective way for attackers to bypass traditional perimeter defenses and compromise machines behind the firewall. With Webgate from Mi5 Networks we can offer our customers botnet, spyware, and virus protection plus URL filtering for the same amount they are paying for URL Filtering-only products. Webgate is a win-win-win for everyone involved.”

Total Web Security in One Box

Mi5’s high-speed Webgate appliances and S2 Streaming Architecture allow enterprises to neutralize malware in web traffic, control web use, and detect/shut down botnet activity inside the network all on a single platform, without the slowdown associated with first-generation proxy-based appliances. To control web use and provide comprehensive security against web threats including malicious URLs, spyware, viruses, and crimeware, Webgate intercepts and filters inbound as well as outbound web data streams on all ports and for all protocols in real-time. In addition, Webgate can prevent users from uploading and downloading nearly 300 different file formats in over a dozen categories. To protect organizations against undetected botnets on their networks, Webgate maintains a unique 360 degree view of traffic by inspecting all web streams in and out of the organization as well as internal network activity. Combining this global perspective with proprietary Mi5 algorithms, Webgate automatically identifies Bots, detects Botnet traffic, and can disinfect hijacked machines based on policy settings. 

“The opportunity for resellers to protect their customers against web security threats is significant, since less than 15 percent of organizations currently filter internet payloads for malicious software,” said Doug Camplejohn, founder and CEO of Mi5 Networks.    “The Mi5 Channel Partner Program enables a select group of partners to provide best-of-breed web malware protection, integrated URL filtering, and one-of-a-kind botnet protection at a price that makes it easy for their customers to migrate from legacy systems and maintain their budgets.”

Webgate Channel Program Details

Mi5 Networks uses an “under distribution” model to avoid conflicts associated with unlimited enrollment channel programs, and controls the number and geographic location of resellers within a given region or territory. The Webgate Channel Partner Program provides a comprehensive set of technical, sales, and business development resources including: