Multiple virus engines, exploit detection, threats analysis and email content checking provide market’s most comprehensive protection against malicious email

London, UK, 17 April 2002 - GFI today announced the release of MailSecurity, an email security product that utilizes multiple anti-virus engines, exploit detection, an email threats engine, and content and attachment checking to screen incoming and outgoing email for dangerous payloads. Extending the functionality of the company's Mail essentials software, the new product is available both in a VS API (Virus Scanning API) edition that integrates seamlessly with Exchange Server 2000 and as a gateway (now in beta) that can be used with any SMTP server.

"Enterprise networks need more protection against malicious email than standard anti-virus products can provide, so our new GFI MailSecurity product adds extra safeguards that include the ability to operate multiple virus engines, defuse HTML scripts, quarantine messages with suspicious keywords and attachments, and block email exploits that other products cannot detect," said Nick Galea, CEO of GFI. "In this way, system administrators can protect their organizations against undiscovered viruses and other email-related security threats."

Multiple virus engines for increased protection
GFI MailSecurity comes bundled with Norman Virus Control, 16-time winner of the Virus Bulletin 100% award, and SOFTWIN's BitDefender, which recently became only the third product in the world to receive ICSA certification for Windows XP. The McAfee virus scanning engine can be added for an additional charge. This gives users the ability to run multiple best-of-breed virus engines simultaneously, eliminating dependence on one vendor and ensuring maximum protection against new virus assaults.

Exploit shield for industry-first email intrusion detection
GFI MailSecurity also guards against email intrusion by detecting signatures of currently known email exploits like the Nimda and AnnaKournikova viruses that take advantage of vulnerabilities in operating systems and applications. This strategy protects users from any current or future email viruses and attacks that use known exploits. The majority of the hazards identified by GFI MailSecurity's exploit engine are not detected by any other program on the market today.

Email threats engine to disable HTML scripts
In addition to its exploit engine, GFI MailSecurity has an email threats engine that detects and defuses HTML scripts before they can do damage. HTML code in an email is identified and cleaned before the message is forwarded to recipients, thereby guarding against HTML viruses as well as attacks directed at an enterprise network via HTML email. This feature will be available in May.

Email content and attachment checking with quarantine capabilities
Building on the content checking technology developed for Mail essentials, GFI MailSecurity checks all inbound and outbound email for suspicious keywords, phrases and extensions, and then quarantines suspect mail and attachments going to or coming from specified users. System administrators can specify the keywords and phrases to be flagged in the body and/or subject line of the message; the attachments to be blocked; the users to whom the screening should apply; and the actions to be taken when a quarantine is imposed. These capabilities can not only stop lethal attachments such as .vbs files but also block offensive content, information leaks, and bandwidth-hogging attachments such as MP3 or .mpg files. The module can also detect when an attachment file extension has been renamed.

Pricing, specifications and availability
GFI MailSecurity pricing begins at US$295 for 10 users. The price includes a year of free anti-virus engine updates. The Exchange 2000 VS API version, available now from authorized distributors or online at the GFI website (http://www.gfi.com), integrates with Exchange Server 2000 and scans the Exchange 2000 information stores. The SMTP gateway version, available for beta download at http://www.gfi.com/mailsecurity, will run with Exchange Server and SMTP servers and is designed to be deployed at the perimeter of the network as a mail relay server. More product information can be found at http://www.gfi.com/mailsecurity.

When the gateway version is released for general availability, GFI MailSecurity will replace Mail essentials as GFI's email security offering. Mail essentials is being revamped to focus instead on corporate email features such as disclaimers, POP3 downloader, mail archiving and personalized server-based auto replies. Pricing will be reduced, and a bundle with GFI MailSecurity will be available. The new Mail essentials product will be introduced this summer.