The launch brings together technology acquired last month when the company bought Mobile Automation Inc, which makes software for remotely managing mobile devices, and software for automating patch distribution to mobile devices produced in partnership with Shavlik Technologies.
The new iPass service will allow customers to be able to set end point security policies relating to Microsoft operating system patches and anti-virus configurations. Based on an assessment of the end-device as it connects to the network, the service will take appropriate actions and grant access levels dependent on the connection speed.
Endpoint Policy Management works to ensure that devices accessing the internet are running up-to-date and properly configured security and operating system software by checking and protecting endpoints every time they access the internet, the company said.
Whenever an Internet connection is made the service identifies whether a computer requires any operating system patches or anti-virus definition and signature files using a small-footprint software agent that takes an inventory of the end point device. Any updates are automatically downloaded and installed by the iPassConnect client software.
Patch management is becoming a big issue. There were 20 patches released by Microsoft in October alone, said iPass director John Sidline. The system will manage everything in a way that is completely transparent to the user, and uses dynamic bandwidth throttling to download a patch in a manner that suits the connection.
iPass is slowly becoming more focused on mobile security having started off as an aggregator of virtual dial up network services and latterly a hotspot/connectivity provider.
Versions of the Endpoint Policy Management service for PDAs running operating systems such as that from Palm will become available next year. Sidline claimed. Next up are additional features that will cope with the removal from endpoint devices of rogue applications that do not comply with an organization’s security policy, such as peer-to-peer networking applications.
