AT&T expands security offerings

AT&T this week announced that it is expanding its security services with e-mail protection, new personal firewall support and consulting services.

The carrier is now offering users anti-spam and anti-virus protection with its Secure E-mail Gateway Service. AT&T is teaming with FrontBridge Technologies to support the service in the carrier’s Internet data centers across the U.S.

The service includes spam filtering, virus blocking, content management and policy enforcement for both inbound and outbound messages.

FrontBridge recently announced that it has added Kaspersky Lab’s virus protection to its platform. AT&T isn’t the first carrier to use this technology. Sprint also uses FrontBridge’s technology to support its Email Protection Service.

AT&T’s offering is available now. AT&T would not disclose pricing, but says it’s based on the number of e-mail users on a customer’s network.

AT&T also announced that it is making its Personal Firewall client available for customers to use while on their corporate LAN. AT&T first announced its Personal Firewall in March 2004. The client allows IT managers to make policy changes on firewalls deployed on remote user's computers or laptops to ensure all employees maintain company security policies.

The updated client will allow users to also use the Personal Firewall when they return to their main office. This will allow IT managers to ensure users haven’t picked up viruses while on the road and also to ensure policies are being followed.

Personal Firewall for use on internal LANs is slated for availability in the fourth quarter for a small additional fee. The carrier says users will pay a single digit percent more than the standard monthly fee of $3.50 to $5.00 per user, per month.

The carrier also says it is expanding its security consulting practice to better help enterprise users meet federal, state and international compliance regulations. AT&T says its professional services practice is now looking at how it can help users comply with rules set forth in relatively new regulations including Sarbanes-Oxley and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.