VirnetX files VPN patent suit against Apple, Cisco, NEC

After successfully suing Microsoft for similar infringements, patent holding company VirnetX is taking Apple to court over the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, suggesting that Apple's VPN implementation violates two of the company's VPN-related patents. Also named in the lawsuit, filed in Eastern Texas US District Court, are Aastra, Cisco, and NEC.

VirnetX originally sued Microsoft in 2007 after VirnetX acquired a number of patents from defense contractor Science Applications International in 2006. The company alleged that Microsoft Office Communicator and Windows Meeting Space each infringed one of two of its patents, including US patents 6,502,135 "Agile Network Protocol for Secure Communications with Assured System Availability" and "Method for Establishing Secure Communication Link Between Computers of Virtual Private Network."
VirnetX won the trial in March this year, with the jury awarding the company $106 million. Microsoft appealed, asserting that the patents were invalid, but later in May settled with VirnetX for $200 million, avoiding additional legal fees and potential treble damages. In June, the US Patent and Trademark Office confirmed both patents as valid after a lengthy review initiated by the lawsuit.

With the confidence of a legal victory and affirmation from the USPTO behind it, VirnetX is now alleging that Apple's mobile devices infringe at least some claims of the '135 patent as well as several claims of US patent 7,490,151 "Establishment of a Secure Communication Link Based on a Domain Name Service (DNS) Request."
The claims against Aastra, Cisco, and NEC mainly target their VoIP products, including servers, software, and VoIP phones. A number of Cisco's IP routing products with VPN capabilities are also accused of infringing VirnetX's IP. In addition to the '135, '180, and 151 patents, the company claims one or more of the products named in the suit infringe on US patents 6,839,759 "Method for Establishing Secure Communication Link Between Computers of Virtual Private Network Without User Entering Any Cryptographic Information" and 7,418,504 "Agile Network Protocol for Secure Communications Using Secure Domain Names."


http://feeds.arstechnica.com/~r/arstechnica/index/~3/2UesBjs_gpY/virnetx-files-vpn-patent-suit-against-apple-cisco-nec.ars


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NeoAccel Offers Third Generation SSL VPN on VMware

NeoAccel recently announced the VMware version of SSL VPN-Plus -- its flagship product. The third generation SSL-VPN product is aimed at replacing IPSec (IP Security) and to address issues faced on conventional SSL VPNs which can suffer from the 'TCP-over-TCP meltdown' and degraded client-server application performance. According to a Gartner study in December 2008, even though IPsec VPNs are still popular for remote access, market innovations continue to center on the use of Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) VPNs as replacements or augmentations for legacy VPNs. SSL VPNs have emerged over IPSec VPNs due to the ease of implementation, policy and network access controls, with the ability to deliver security protections on demand. According to the Gartner study, SSL VPNs are also easy to set up in their default role as application portals, and offer respectable performance for tunneled Layer 3 traffic.

NeoAccel's offering of SSL VPN-Plus under VMware consists of three options:

SSL VPN-Plus and NAC-Plus running on an existing VMware Server platform
This offering is available online, at a price, as virtual appliances that will run on a VMware ESX Server. With these virtual appliances, network administrators can benefits from a virtualized infrastructure including on-demand replication, scalability, and backup of the VMware environment without the hassles of buying and maintaining hardware.
SSL VPN-Plus on VMware is ideal for disaster recovery (DR) situations by being able to replicate one SSL VPN-Plus image to many and provide hundred times the number of normal concurrent users on demand. Since virtualization ensures minimal downtime while making changes to the remote access infrastructure, administrators can upgrade and test a second SSL VPN-Plus gateway without disrupting the production gateway.

SSL VPN-Plus Evaluation Virtual Appliance for the VMware Player
This vitual appliance can be downloaded and tested using VMware player. The virtual appliance is an active version of SSL VPN-Plus. This will effectively turn a laptop or an under-utilized PC into an SSL VPN-Plus Gateway, in under fifteen minutes. The setup involves registration on the NeoAccel website, followed by e-mail verification, and an unrestricted 10 concurrent user license for 30-days.

Globally Managed SSL VPN-Plus Farm for ASPs/MSPs/ISPs
This offering is specifically meant for managed service providers/Internet service providers (MSP/ISP). NeoAccel will provide 10 Gbps SSL VPN performance on its SGX-5200 appliance which will enable service providers to take advantage of the VMware operating environment provisioning, cloning, and managing SSL VPN-Plus Gateways on the fly with a global manager.
The SGX-5200 supports up to 128 individual virtual machines, enabling MSPs/ISPs to offer customers 'compartmentalized', secured access with flexibility and scalability.

According to NeoAccel all versions of SSL VPN-Plus on VMware are fully functional SSL VPN-Plus gateways built as a zero-administration IPSec replacement. Standard features include clientless and full access clients, end point security, GUI-based administration, mobile VPN, secure desktop support and more.

VPN buyers can conveniently" download a virtual image of SSL VPN Plus. Network administrators can experience the user and management interfaces and observe how SSL VPN-Plus fits within their current network setup all without the logistics of a hardware appliance.

NeoAccel is a growing remote access solution company with a number of high-profile customers including Xerox, Alcatel, Deloitte, Moser Baer, Cipla and Indian Overseas Bank. To download and evaluate a fully functional version of SSL VPN-Plus, visit the VCOMM Security web site.

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Alcatel-Lucent Expands Encryption, VPN Capabilities of OmniAccess 3500 Nonstop Laptop Guardian

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris: ALU) (NYSE: ALU) today announced new data encryption and virtual private network (VPN) features for its OmniAccess 3500 Nonstop Laptop Guardian (NLG) laptop security and management system that improve the security of data residing on laptops.

Invented by Bell Labs and incubated by Alcatel-Lucent Ventures, the OmniAccess 3500 NLG, is the first comprehensive solution that reduces laptop security breaches, delivering 'always-on' connectivity for visibility and control over laptops on a 24/7 basis -- even when the laptop is turned off.

The features are available in a new release of the OmniAccess 3500 software and include:

--  Full hard-disk encryption integration framework -- All full disk
 encryption (FDE) vendors are now able to integrate with the OmniAccess 3500
 NLG. This will enhance vendor encryption solutions with the capability to
 remotely manage encryption keys and provide a second-factor of
 authentication when the laptop is turned off or is offline. Keys and second-
 factor authentication are stored on the NLG card and can be remotely
 deleted to make the hard disk inaccessible in case of a lost or stolen
 laptop. This capability closes an important security loop, as laptop data
 can not be accessed without the management controls enforced by the
 OmniAccess 3500 NLG. Together with NLG's GPS location capabilities --
 security and manageability are now upgraded.

--  Industry first Active Smartcard for Windows and pre-boot
 authentication -- Many FDE solutions require a Smartcard to be used for
 encryption keys -- a solution that can't be updated over a network. The NLG
 now emulates a Smartcard, but allows IT administrators to create,
 invalidate, revoke, and reissue the Smartcard or its PIN securely over the
 air and on the fly for faster response and lower administration costs.

--  SSL VPN access -- This capability gives NLG users another secure
 option for using a VPN while visiting a customer or partner location. In
 addition to the built-in IPSec VPN, NLG now supports secure switch over to
 web-based SSL VPN if used by customers' IT. This capability keeps the
 always-on VPN solution that defines the NLG solution intact, while allowing
 end-users the freedom to use SSL when needed.

--  Multiple user support -- This option allows multiple end-users to
 share a single NLG-protected laptop, without compromising security.

--  Mid-range gateway -- Alcatel-Lucent has scaled the back-office NLG
 gateway to fit the needs of companies with up to 500 NLG users. This new
 server supports Business Partner and carrier demand to provide a cost-
 effective solution for these mid-sized companies.
 

"NLG continues to innovate in the space of mobile security. The interactive Smartcard capabilities are truly unique in the market," said Tom Burns, COO of enterprise activities for Alcatel-Lucent. "Our customers are reacting very positively to the NLG and we believe these new features help to ensure that the NLG remains the most comprehensive endpoint security solution on the market. With our new mid-range gateway (at a reduced cost), we have put the product within reach of mid-sized customers and have dramatically increased our addressable market."

"With these and previous new feature developments in the OmniAccess 3500 NLG, Alcatel-Lucent has elevated NLG's attractiveness," states Michael Suby, Director of Stratecast (a Division of Frost & Sullivan). "These enhancements deliver to enterprises what they need the most: flexibility to tailor security technologies to meet their unique device and information protection objectives."

With this solution, IT departments are able to enforce policies for compliance, protection and recovery of stolen devices, and deliver patches and upgrades to an increasingly mobile workforce anytime, anywhere, thereby increasing productivity and efficiency. In addition to other channel partners, Alcatel-Lucent is working with Sprint to deliver the OmniAccess 3500 NLG as part of a complete wireless enterprise solution.

Availability

OmniAccess 3500 Nonstop Laptop Guardian solution includes PCMCIA cards for laptops and a management server. The product is packaged with 3G services and sold through wireless service providers and Alcatel-Lucent Business Partners. Nonstop Laptop Guardian is currently available through Alcatel-Lucent channels in North America, including Sprint, and will launch in Europe in Q3 2008.

About the OmniAccess 3500 Nonstop Laptop Guardian

The core technology of the OmniAccess 3500 NLG consists of a secure, always-on computing system that is available for IT even when the laptop is turned off. Residing on a 3G broadband PCMCIA data card which includes a separate secure operating system and battery, which operates with any broadband network, including 3G, Ethernet or WiFi. When a laptop is connected to a network, the card seamlessly transitions connectivity to the corporate network through automatic VPN capabilities, ensuring that all traffic, regardless of data connection type, passes directly through the corporate network's protections, filters and policy managers before accessing the Internet.