Nokia Teams Up With Sourcefire For IPS
Columbia, Md.-based Sourcefire is the creator and manager of Snort, the open-source IPS solution used in government agencies and many large corporations.
Adding Sourcefire's IPS technology to Nokia's IP security platforms will enable companies to monitor network traffic and proactively protect their wired network and mobile environments, says Graham Melville, director of product marketing for security and mobile connectivity at Nokia.
"Nokia has been looking at adding IPS for a while, and Sourcefire is generally considered a de facto standard for IPS," said Melville.
The first phase of the Nokia-Sourcefire partnership will consist of a full-fledged product launch in the fourth quarter, according to a Sourcefire spokesperson, who declined to provide specific product names or pricing.
The partnership fits with Nokia's vision for ubiquitous wireless connectivity and providing security for devices that are always on, said Melville. "It will be important to secure wireless users' connections without compromising their ability to do business," Melville said.
IPS signatures that are continually developed by the Sourcefire Vulnerability Research Team will be part of the Nokia service offering, Melville said.
Israeli vendor Check Point's bid to acquire Sourcefire for $225 million was scrapped in March over what insiders say were national security concerns.