RapidFire Tools Launches New Tool That Enables MSPs to Deliver Internal IT Security Services
May 30, 2016
RapidFire Tools Inc. today launched Detector™, a new software appliance that enables managed services providers (MSPs) to more easily identify internal threats to client networks, which according to industry reports, account for more than half of all breaches. Detector is the only software appliance that automatically scans a company’s network on a scheduled basis for suspicious anomalous user behaviors, unexpected network changes and internal threats; and sends out daily alerts to the MSP regarding the detected issues. The security tool incorporates "machine learning" that allows it to become "smarter" the longer it is attached to a network. It also employs a proprietary "SMART-TAG"™ feature that allows the MSP to fine-tune the tool with additional information to identify relationships and dramatically reduce false-positives. This comprehensive approach delivers more detailed and relevant information about the client’s network, allowing the MSP to better mitigate risk and offer a meaningful internal IT security service.
"Much of the industry’s focus on IT security has been on detection and prevention of data breaches caused by external hackers, viruses, worms and the like," said Mike Mittel, CEO and president at RapidFire Tools. "MSPs have been relying on firewalls, AV, spam filters and other similar tools to secure their clients’ networks. But most IT security breaches stem from internal sources, including malicious internal users, accidental changes or misconfigured network settings. Detector will find these internal threats, and will alert the MSPs on a daily basis."
The Detector appliance automatically initiates a regularly scheduled security scan of the client’s network, generating daily email alerts to the MSP regarding any suspicious anomalies, changes and threats (or "ACTs") it detects. The alerts rank the severity of each category of issue, and can include suggested actions for the MSP based on the severity of the risk. In addition to the alerts, Detector also generates a weekly notice with a complete list of changes that have occurred on the network over the past week, giving the MSP a quick reference source and a means by which to document a historical chain of events.
Detector relies on its proprietary SMART-TAG tagging system to help it differentiate types of devices, users and other network attributes that impact internal security. Detector is pre-configured out of the box to immediately start identifying potential security issues caused by anomalies, changes and internal threats. But through its SMART-TAG system, MSPs can layer-on additional meta-information about each client’s network environment to dramatically increase the Detector’s effectiveness. Through this unique combination of automated scanning and customized tagging, MSPs are able to surpass the capabilities of other conventional internal security tools. The SMART-TAG system includes support for PCI and HIPAA compliance-specific alerting.
Detector addresses areas typically not covered by traditional RMM tools. Anomalies, changes and threats that the Detector can uncover include identifying unauthorized and suspicious logins, unwanted network changes, improper security permissions, unauthorized connection to wireless networks by employees, lack of policy enforcement, and a roster of other policy breaches and transgressions.
"The new Detector appliance plugs a huge hole in network security, and does so at a rock-bottom price that the typical MSP can afford to deliver to every client," noted Mike Mittel, CEO and President at RapidFire Tools. "We want to give MSPs the convenience and comprehensive benefits of an automated internal security system, yet also give them the ability to easily fine-tune it to meet the unique set-up of each individual client. This way, they receive meaningful alerts of suspicious internal activity to investigate, without being bogged down by a lot of noise."
Pricing for an annual Detector software appliance subscription is $69 per month or $690 for the year if pre-paid. A plug-and-play hardware version is available for an additional $40 per month.