Unique, Integrated Technologies Protect Web Applications and Key Database Assets in Real-Time 

Oxford, United Kingdom, 29th April 2009 – Secerno, the technology leader in data security, and Integralis, the leading IT security service provider, today announced that Cardif Pinnacle will use integrated security technologies from Secerno and F5 Networks to protect their web-facing applications.

Cardif Pinnacle, the UK insurance arm of banking group BNP Paribas, is one of the UK’s leading providers of creditor, warranty and special risks insurance. Following consultancy from Integralis, in a project aimed at delivering comprehensive threat protection across its browser-based applications, Cardif Pinnacle chose Secerno DataWall and F5’s BIG-IP Application Security Manager (ASM) as a combined, integrated solution to secure both web and database tiers.

The Secerno and F5 solution will guard against Web application security threats in real-time, providing visibility and security at all levels of its architecture, including protection of core database assets. The installation and ongoing support will be provided by Integralis.

“As a specialist provider of protection and investment solutions, we recognised the need to eliminate potential security risks to our customers’ data by ensuring that the data integrity of our web applications was suitably robust,” commented Peter Skipwith, IT Security Officer and General Manager IT Operations and Infrastructure at Cardif Pinnacle. “The Proof-of-Concept stage indicated that Cardif Pinnacle can expect increased workforce efficiencies and enhanced competitiveness, as well as further support for our proactive approach to security.”

Secerno DataWall and F5’s BIG-IP ASM will deliver comprehensive protection for Cardif Pinnacle’s web applications and operational infrastructure through an auto-adaptive approach to application delivery security, where security policy is automatically updated based on traffic patterns.
• Secerno DataWall stops threats before data is lost or compromised through its patented SynoptiQ™ Engine, based on break-through research into efficient grammatical clustering. It accurately and actively blocks all threats to data, even from trusted and privileged users and optimises compliance auditing, as well as delivering the ability to improve the security of applications.

• Some of the most serious network security threats come from attacks that target vulnerabilities in enterprise applications. These attacks ignore conventional firewalls and intrusion-detection and prevention systems, and they are often difficult and costly to prevent.  BIG-IP ASM makes application delivery security easy and manageable. It delivers specific, built-in Validated Application Policies as well as an automatic policy-building engine that can quickly adapt to application updates.

Further Comment:
Peter Simpson, Vice President Alliances and Marketing at Secerno: “We are delighted to be working with Cardif Pinnacle, as this is another example of a business choosing to be proactive with its security. The partnership between Secerno and F5 provides real-time remedies for both application code and database transactions and protection of technically diverse applications, which is ideal for highly regulated financial environments.”

Graham Jones, Managing Director at Integralis UK: “We worked extremely closely with Cardif Pinnacle to provide an initial assessment of their security requirements in line with their business objectives before making our recommendation. The superior performance of both Secerno DataWall and BIG-IP ASM, combined with our services and support, will ensure that Cardif Pinnacle will be able to increase efficiencies and stay secure.”

Owen Cole, Technical Director, UK & Ireland at F5: “More and more companies use browser-based applications to allow customers, partners and staff access to critical data, and the security element of this must be a big part of these projects. Cardif Pinnacle is a great example of a company looking for more efficient working practices without neglecting data integrity.”

Secerno joined F5’s Technology Alliance Program in November 2008 to offer organisations unrivalled end-to-end application and database security.  Further information on this partnership can be found here.