Nokia strengthens remote device security and application support in latest SSL VPN offering (page 1 of 2)

Nokia's latest SSL VPN solution gives enterprise users the access they need, while providing IT administrators stringent security controls. In the past, the balance of access and security was viewed as a trade-off for one group or the other, but the latest SSL VPN offering benefits both end users and IT administrators.

Nokia's SSL VPN offering provides virtually anytime, anywhere secure remote access to email, personal information management (PIM) data, corporate intranets and applications from public Internet kiosks, terminal, laptop or wireless device.

Nokia Secure Access System 3.0 offers Network Extension functionality with a new feature named Secure Connector. Secure Connector provides network-level access from the user's remote device back to the corporate IT infrastructure. With network-level access from the remote device, the user has comprehensive access to business applications and data, as well as access to network services.

"Nokia is meeting the demands of the mobile workforce in our latest SSL VPN offering by giving IT managers and mobile workers the security, flexibility and transparency needed to access to sensitive corporate data," said Elie Habib, senior vice president, Security and Mobile Connectivity, Nokia Enterprise Solutions.

"The addition of our Network Extension feature, Secure Connector, combined with Nokia SAS's performance, reliability, and manageability make it an easy and effective way for companies to leverage the benefits of secure mobility to operate and grow their business."

Secure Connector features enhanced application support, real-time anti-virus monitoring, and split-tunneling control, enabling IT administrators to extend the network while minimizing risk from malware that propagates over the network. Secure Connector also includes encrypted data storage/vault capabilities, a feature well suited for tightly regulated industries where the demand for security is high.

The Secure Connector client is downloadable from the Nokia SSL VPN gateway and installed by the user on the remote device the first time the device is used. Once installed, the IT administrator can manage all client configurations and updates from the Nokia SSL VPN gateway.

"We chose Nokia's SSL VPN product after a comprehensive evaluation of other products in the marketplace. We focused on a product that offered strong features, reliability, support capabilities, and a strong brand name. Nokia earned top marks for all our requirements," said Mr. Akira Tochigi, general manager, sales and marketing of strategy, JENS Corporation, a Japanese value-added Internet service provider.

"In our evaluation, we found that Nokia was the pioneering company that offered the market-leading security features and product reliability we need. We are pleased that Nokia's SSL VPN product will provide us with the superior service our customers require."

Secure Connector is supported on devices running Microsoft Windows NT4, 2000 and XP. Since an actual client is installed on the remote device, Secure Connector does not require a specific web browser to launch the feature.