FRAMINGHAM (04/03/2000) - Internet Security Systems Group Inc. (ISS) has developed an intrusion-detection application, code-named Bullet, that lets e-commerce companies scan a Web site visitor's PC to see if it is infected with Trojan horses, such as Back Orifice, or viruses that could be passed on to the e-commerce site.
Trojan horses let intruders seize remote control of PCs, and that could mean a compromise of an online banking system, for example, even when the correct user identification is employed to access the site.
"Businesses are just getting fed up with the crap coming off the Internet," says ISS CEO Thomas Noonan, adding that one bank is expected to announce it is using the ISS application on its home banking site this week.
The ISS application uses ActiveX technology to scan the laptop, and if required, wipe out the unwanted, dangerous code. Noonan acknowledges that use of the scanning application could touch off an invasion-of-privacy debate.
Further details about the application were not available. ISS has not announced when the application will become generally available or how much it will cost.