Managed services provider Loudcloud Inc. Tuesday announced the availability of four new security services, beefing up the features and offerings of the Loudcloud Security Services suite.
The company will now offer intrusion detection analysis, vulnerability analysis, application attack simulation and application code review services to its customers, Loudcloud said in a news release. The Loudcloud Security Services suite already offers Digital Certificate Management, Access Control and advanced consulting options with Loudcloud's partner, @Stake Inc.
The Intrusion Detection Analysis service will analyze the data generated from scans, probes and network intrusion attempts to help customers pinpoint the types and sources of attacks they are experiencing, Loudcloud said. Companies are also given advice about how to protect themselves in the future. The service may be purchased as a monthly subscription for US$850 a month, or one scan at a time for $1,000, the company said.
Along with Intrusion Detection Analysis, Loudcloud will also probe systems and networks for security vulnerabilities with its Vulnerability Analysis tests. The tests, which check the customer's public IP (Internet Protocol) address and Web applications, result in a report on security holes that are identified and recommendations for ways to better secure the customer's systems, the company said. The Vulnerability Assessment costs $1,000 for up to 10 hosts.
In addition to testing Web applications for security problems, Loudcloud also simulates attacks against Web applications to detect vulnerabilities and weaknesses using its Application Attack Simulation service, the company said. This service creates specific conditions of use and attack to isolate vulnerabilities and potential exploits in the applications, Loudcloud said. The service starts at $10,000 but the actual price is determined by @Stake, the company said.
Lastly, again in partnership with @Stake, Loudcloud will offer an Application Code Review in which security experts will examine the source code of Web applications looking for code that could lead to security vulnerabilities, Loudcloud said.
Even though the company already offers a few security services, Loudcloud may not be the first name that springs to mind for such services, according to Joel Yaffe, Senior Industry Analyst with Giga Information Group Inc.
"For just security .... Loudcloud might not be the obvious choice," but they have good overall offerings and very knowledgeable staff, he said. Their background providing many different Web services is also to their benefit, he said.
Beyond getting security business, Loudcloud has other reasons for wanting to bring in new customers, Yaffe said.
"They want to own a broader set of operational responsibilities for Internet infrastructure" for their customers, he said.
"Security is going to be one pillar on which they build the market," using the footholds they gain there to try to drive customers to their other services, Yaffe said.