Top Layer’s IPS – Untouchable in NSS Intrusion Prevention Test

February 02, 2005 – Top Layer Networks, the leader for high performance intrusion prevention, today announced that the Attack Mitigator is the first and only product to be approved by NSS for both rate-based and content-based cyber attack protection. The coveted NSS Approval was earned in the second, and latest, side-by-side comparison of leading IPS products. NSS conducted a brutal battery of tests to verify the stability and performance of each IPS tested, as well as determine the accuracy of its security coverage and, most importantly, ensure that the device does not block legitimate traffic. The Attack Mitigator test results can be viewed and downloaded at www.nss.co.uk/ips

Bob Walder, President of the NSS Group said, “To assess the complex matrix of performance and security requirements, the NSS Group developed a specialised lab environment that was able to exercise every facet of the IPS products tested. The test suite contained over 800 individual tests for each category (rate-based and content-based) that were designed to stretch the limits of the IPS products well beyond the test suite we used for our first IPS test in 2003. The 2005 NSS test report and summary findings will provide readers with the most comprehensive and up to date review of leading IPS solutions that will help guide organisations looking to buy IPS products in 2005.” The complete test results are available at www.nss.co.uk/ips

According to Walder, “The Attack Mitigator was the first ever device to be tested against both our content-based IPS and brand new rate-based IPS methodologies, and it performed extremely well in both. In our testing, we covered all aspects of performance and reliability, security accuracy and usability. The Attack Mitigator had outstanding performance in all our tests, achieving 100% detection rates across the board, with headroom to spare. Basic latency figures were outstanding, almost switch-like under any traffic load, in fact the Attack Mitigator was one of only two IPS devices we have tested that achieved zero packet loss and low latency at all packet sizes.”

With regard to security accuracy, the Attack Mitigator IPS 5500 performed consistently and completely reliably throughout the test, continuing to block attack traffic while always passing 100% of legitimate traffic, even when under an extended attack. Walder went on to say, “Resistance to known evasion techniques was excellent, achieving a clean sweep across the board. In fact Fragroute and Whisker both failed to trick the device into ignoring valid attacks. Fragmented and obfuscated attacks were not only blocked successfully, but were also decoded with a high degree of accuracy.”

“I’m very excited by these test results, NSS have proved themselves to be the leading independent test house for IPS products and we are proud to be named as the only IPS vendor to be NSS approved as both a content-based and a rate-based IPS.” said Peter Rendall, CEO and President of Top Layer Networks. Rendall went on to say, “This test result validates our leadership position in the IPS market space and provides our 300 plus IPS customers with the knowledge that they have purchased the best IPS product on the market.”

Mike Paquette, VP Marketing and Product Management for Top Layer Networks further commented, “The launch of our second generation Attack Mitigator IPS 5500 in 2004 bridges the gap previously seen in the market for combining best in class content-based IPS features with world leading rate-based IPS mitigation. Because of the IPS 5500’s Gigabit speed performance, the NSS test report states that our product is well suited to be placed anywhere in the network, from the perimeter to a heavily-loaded high-speed backbone, without impacting overall network performance. The Attack Mitigator is the only IPS product that delivers non-stop protection for any enterprise.”

About NSS
The NSS Group is the world’s foremost independent security testing facility. With British headquarters, and security and network infrastructure testing facilities in the South of France, The NSS Group offers a range of specialist IT, networking and security-related services to vendors and end-user organizations world-wide. The NSS Group security testing laboratories are available to vendors and end-users for fully independent testing of networking, communications and security hardware and software.

The NSS Group also operates certification schemes for vendors and certification bodies, and currently provides evaluation and certification of a wide range of security products, including IDS/IPS appliances, firewalls, VPN’s, multi-function security appliances, cryptographic devices and PKI products. Output from the labs, including detailed research reports, articles and white papers on the latest network and security technologies, are made available on the NSS web site at http://www.nss.co.uk ..The NSS Group awards are recognized world-wide as being the most desirable and essential when it comes to security products. Vendors consider the awards to be a crucial step in any security-related marketing campaign, whilst increasing feedback from readers of the reports indicates that participation in an NSS Group test and/or one of the above awards is a prerequisite for any security product in order to be considered for purchase.

About the Top Layer Attack Mitigator IPS 5500
The Attack Mitigator IPS 5500 family offers the strongest levels of Network IPS protection, performance and reliability on the market today. By improving upon the most powerful characteristics of stateful firewall technology and intrusion detection systems, Top Layer has developed the IPS 5500 in order to protect against attacks in real-time with minimal interruption of legitimate traffic. Top Layer executes high performance, non-disruptive deep packet inspection and analysis coupled with intelligent blocking of attacks through TopFireâ„? second-generation ASIC technology and TopInspectâ„? Deep Packet Inspection. About Top Layer Networks, Inc. Founded in 1997, Top Layer Networks (www.TopLayer.com) develops network security solutions that enable enterprises worldwide to protect their infrastructure and critical online assets from cyber-threats. The Company’s patented, ASIC-based products are engineered to deliver accurate and reliable protection mechanisms while operating as robust in-line network security devices. Top Layer Networks is headquartered in Westboro, Massachusetts with sales and support presence in Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.