COMPUTERLINKS Network Security Systems

Level 4, 53 Walker Street
North Sydney NSW 2060

Tel: 02 8524 2100
Email: info@computerlinks.com.au

Executive Summary Available Now

An Executive Summary of the NSS Labs Network IPS Comparative Test Report can be found at: http://now.sourcefire.com?elqPURLPage=1&elqformname=nss_labs

 

Sourcefire IPS Achieves Highest Security Effectiveness Score in Independent NSS Labs Test

COLUMBIA, Md., Feb 23, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Sourcefire, Inc. (Nasdaq: FIRE), the creators of SNORT(R) and a leader in intelligent Cybersecurity solutions, today announced its Sourcefire 3D4500 Sensor, part of the Sourcefire 3D(R) System intrusion prevention family, achieved a "Recommend" rating in the latest Network Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) Comparative Test Report from NSS Labs, Inc., published in December 2009. Sourcefire is one of only three vendors recommended by NSS Labs, based on its testing of 15 products.

"Of all products tested, the Sourcefire 3D4500 provided the greatest protection against our attacks," said Rick Moy, president, NSS Labs, Inc. "Sourcefire deserves strong consideration from organizations looking for a network IPS to use in multi-gigabit environments. Sourcefire's IPS posted the highest block rate of any product, stopping 89.5 percent of all attacks after tuning."

NSS Labs found that when tuned the Sourcefire 3D System blocked more attacks than any other IPS tested. NSS Labs also determined that the 3D4500 Sensor performed closest to its advertised performance. Promoted as a 2Gbps box, it achieved 1.9Gbps running its default policy within NSS Labs' rigorous testing environment, delivering 95 percent of the advertised performance using a real-world traffic mix -- far exceeding the vendor average.

"The difference between the least and most effective products that NSS Labs tested was 72.2 percent, ranging from 17.3 percent to 89.5 percent, which drives home the fact that intrusion prevention systems are not commodities, and organizations should choose wisely," said Steve Piper, Sr. Director of Products at Sourcefire. "Enterprises need to do their homework and make sure that their vendor is actually investing to deliver the protection and performance that customers require. NSS Labs has objectively determined what Sourcefire customers already know - that the Sourcefire 3D System delivers premier performance and industry-leading value."

Designed to address the challenges faced by IT professionals in selecting and managing security products, NSS Labs reports offer unbiased, actionable information based on real-world test data. Using its real-world testing methodology, NSS Labs compared all 15 products against 1,159 live exploits in the industry's most comprehensive test to date. Ratings were then awarded based on the product's security effectiveness, performance and total cost of ownership (TCO). Each product earned a rating of either "Recommend," "Neutral," or "Caution" based on its composite test results. Only the top technical products earned a Recommend rating, regardless of their market share, brand recognition, or the company's size.