Spi Dynamics Helps To Patch Security Holes

SPI Dynamics has heard these cries and comes to the rescue with its WebInspect Web application security tool. Just as the name implies, WebInspect is a utility that uncovers security problems quickly and helps administrators plug security holes, before anything malicious leaks in.

The product is a hosted application, which VARs can license to assess a company's Internet entry point and determine what, if any, security problems exist. The product is aimed squarely at those businesses obliged to enforce legislative requirements to meet compliance standards. WebInspect proves to be a comprehensive product that offers hundreds of methods for testing Web security.

While the market is ripe with security-testing products, SPI Dynamics differentiates WebInspect from the competition in several ways. First, as a hosted service, the product offers realtime access to the latest security concerns and seamlessly adds those elements to the attack capabilities to make sure any site is up to snuff at any given time. The company also offers a compliance and regulatory support module, which helps to document that a business is meeting regulatory needs and therefore averts the fines imposed when a business fails an audit. (Those capabilities come as part of WebInspect's compliance pack.)

When it comes to building bullet-proof security, the name of the game is knowledge. Organizing that knowledge into presentable and understandable terms is the key to proceeding with a solutionand that knowledge and organization requirement is clearly built into the WebInspect console. Administrators can monitor security scans in realtime and observe the impact of the attacks on their network. All of this is accomplished via the product's intuitive Web interface, which not only displays in-progress scanning information, but also isolates and categorizes vulnerabilities in a concise graphical manner.

Administrators can begin with a 10,000-foot view of the network's security and then drill down to the individual Web applications or problems and quickly find the details needed for a solution. Further simplifying the product is that no server-side installation is needed, allowing a remote scan to take place without interfering with network operations. To customize WebInspect, the company offers an API toolkit and ample scripting capabilities to create unique scans for one-off Web applications.

The product reaches well beyond the typical Web application scan and brings AVDL and AJAX support into the scanning equation, allowing nontraditional applications, regardless of where they run, from compromising network security.

WebInspect also includes a comprehensive reporting engine, which can effectively combine graphics with printed text to conceptualize a company's Web security standing.

On the channel side, SPI Dynamics is seeking partners. The company's three-tier channel program is broken down into levels that should meet the needs of most any VAR, regardless of size. The top tier is the Platinum-level program, which requires $250,000 or more per year in net revenue to SPI Dynamics, a signed reseller agreement and two WebInspect-certified employees on staff. Platinum VARs get a 30 percent product discount, a 30 percent maintenance discount for the first three years, two complementary three-day certification classes and company description, logo and link to the VAR's site from SPI's Web site. The next level down is Gold, which requires $100,000 to $249,000 per year in net revenue to SPI Dynamics, a signed reseller agreement and one WebInspect-certified employee on staff. Gold partners are eligible for a 25 percent product discount, a 25 percent maintenance discount, one complementary three-day certification class and company description, logo and link to the VAR's site from SPI's Web site.

The bottom tier is Silver and requires less than $100,000 per year in net revenue to SPI Dynamics, a signed reseller agreement and one WebInspect-certified employee on staff. Silver partners garner a 20 percent product discount, a 20 percent maintenance discount and company description, logo and link to the VAR's site from SPI's Web site.

All levels have access to SPI's partner portal, called the SPI Partner Resource Center.

With an easy-to-use product and a straightforward channel program, SPI Dynamics may prove to be the security company of choice for most VARs in the assessment business.