
CITEC feature news

Traffic shaping techniques - a new component for a multi-layered defence strategy

21 April 2005

As spam levels reach new heights thanks to the ingenuity and persistence of spammers, leading security solutions specialists are looking for ways to throw the problem back at its source.

Traffic shaping techniques are leading the charge in this field, forcing spammers to reassess their methods and find easier targets.

Traffic shaping techniques enable harmful email to be identified much earlier, at the protocol level. In turn, this allows “bad” traffic to be pushed back, almost to the door of the spammers. Slowing down the spammer’s connections creates email traffic bottlenecks and ultimately exhausts their email processing resources.

In February, CITEC’s security partner MessageLabs introduced the first of many new traffic shaping techniques as additional layers in an already multi-layered defence against spam, viruses and other unwanted emails getting through.

MessageLabs is the first managed service provider to incorporate Symantec’s latest traffic shaping technology at the perimeter of its global infrastructure. It enables the company to further enhance its traffic shaping performance by operating at a much lower TCP protocol level.

The advantage of this line of defence is that it becomes easier to recognise the good traffic, helping balance network resources in favour of accelerating the delivery of this traffic.

Staying ahead of threats

CITEC Security Solutions Consultant, Greg Smith said a multi-layered defense strategy was essential for staying ahead of electronic security threats and combatting spam.

“This type of strategy is based on the idea that the more layers of defence you have, the stronger and more comprehensive your protection,” Greg said.

“Predictive technology such as traffic shaping is critical in helping to achieve the goal of ‘day zero’ detection, where the window between malware detection and response is closed.”

CITEC partners with leading vendors such as MessageLabs to deliver the latest security technologies, helping clients to combat known and unknown security threats. Our expert staff can help you implement a multi-layered defense strategy, enabling you to focus on your core business while your infrastructure and data remain secure.

For further information about how CITEC can assist, please contact Security Solutions Consultant Greg Smith on 07 3222 2566.

About Messagelabs

MessageLabs is the leading provider of managed email security services to businesses based on market share, according to the Yankee Group Security Solutions & Services, February 2004 Report. The company offers industry-leading managed Anti-Virus, Anti-Spam, Image Control and Content Control services to more than 8,500 businesses around the world to combat email threats before they reach corporate networks and without the need for additional hardware or software. For more information on MessageLabs, please visit www.messagelabs.com.