Cloud Security: McAfee Intends to Tame the Cloud

McAfee, the Intel security firm, introduced new enhancements to its platform in the cloud during the Cloud Expo 2012 held in New York. McAfee Cloud Security Platform will provide options to ensure the three main channels of traffic information – email, web and identity, in order to ensure data protection in the transition to the cloud by the companies.

Updates to McAfee Cloud Security Platform focus on security for cloud-based interactions through seamless integration between the products, support policies based on context and Web protection for mobile workers.

McAfee Cloud Security Platform integrates McAfee Global Threat Intelligence to help companies to expand their practices and safety rules to Cloud, and securing data traffic before it reaches the cloud across all threat vectors – file, Web, email and network.

“Identity, Web and email security components are critical as enterprise IT customers deploy both on-premise and off-premise Cloud-based solutions over the next several years,” said Phil Hochmuth, IDC Research. “Customers will expect to build on existing security investments while transitioning appropriate business functions to the Cloud to save on resources and time. IDC believes an appropriately configured Cloud model must guarantee more streamlined business processes, greater business agility, increased security and stronger access management. McAfee, as evidenced by this announcement, continues to deliver key components necessary for customer success in Cloud adoption scenarios.”

The platform is designed to protect incoming and outgoing traffic of the company and the public cloud. These features include the availability of web security, which offers protection in real-time traffic, based on reputation and intent.

“Interest in Cloud computing continues to grow – customers need to know that they can adopt the cloud and rely on the cloud for the majority of their enterprise communications – safely and securely,” said Pat Calhoun, SVP & GM, Network Security for McAfee. “The McAfee Cloud Security Platform offers a comprehensive solution so organizations can confidently connect to the cloud.”

Among the new updates for McAfee Cloud Security Platform include:

Preventing Data Loss

DLP capabilities are integrated into McAfee Email Protection and McAfee Web Gateway, which minimizes gaps in security and data leakage in different traffic channels.

New Web reporting for the McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator

The Web reporting through McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator (McAfee ePO) software simplifies security management by providing greater visibility in the protections and incidents in the company.

Support implementation of Hybrid Web Protection

A common policy on local and SaaS deployments from a single console simplifies administration while ensuring consistent policy enforcement for all Web traffic, including HTTP and HTTPS.

Web Protection for mobile workers

McAfee Proxy Client simplifies authentication and redirect web traffic from mobile computers outside the user network to a Web security solution from McAfee.

Web Gateway

Web Gateway provides consultation and implementation of data from external sources to McAfee Web Gateway policies for greater control over Web access.

Identity Manager

It provides access control policies to the cloud, allowing granular control based on context.

Intel and its subsidiary McAfee recently unveiled their strategy for the security of cloud environments to cover data centers, network connections, and terminals that access cloud services.

In addition, Intel also integrates their cloud service password management with Salesforce.com to give customers an alternative to single sign on software on cloud.