From filtering to MDM/VPN, centrally managed cloud service provides greater information security

TOKYO—January 16, 2012 — NetSTAR, Inc., Japan’s premier developer of URL filtering product technologies and services, today announced the February 2012 release of NetSTAR Business Smart Security service for the iPhone and iPad, an integrated cloud security service for the central management of URL filtering, mobile device management (MDM), and VPN services on smart devices. An Android OS smart device version is in the works.

In recent years there has been an explosion in the number of smart devices like the iPhone and iPad, and their use in business has already begun. At the same time, there is a growing need to ensure the security of these mobile terminals in the same way that office computers are secured, to prevent their loss, misuse by employees, and accessing websites that are potential security risks. In response to these conditions, NetSTAR released the NetSTAR Business Browser filtering service for smart devices in 2010, and in June 2011, the NetSTAR Security Screen was released as an SI solution tool for the business browser service.

However, when our clients started to introduce smart devices into their businesses, they wanted to use Safari and other standard browsers, as well as to be able to easily implement URL filtering, MDM, and VPN solutions that they could centrally manage. Thus, in addition to the Business Browser, NetSTAR launched the Business Smart Security service, that provides an integrated cloud security service for smart devices that can centrally manage all the solutions for smart devices—such as URL filtering, MDM, VPN, and firewalls—without a special proprietary browser. This service is now being provided to security-minded enterprises of all types.

Because this service does not use an agent on the terminal, it does not require the installation of multiple programs on every device, like conventional products, making it much easier to implement. In addition, it is an integrated cloud service that provides the same level of security as end-point products, but with a fraction of the administration and operation costs. Putting all communications under the administration of a cloud service enables the central management of numerous mobile devices. This provides URL filtering, remote wipe, application restriction, and other MDM features, as well as application filtering and firewall use.

To implement this many services on a smart device used to require a network environment that combined all the solutions of different providers, which made the system administrator’s job of implementing and managing them quite arduous. Today, Business Smart Security can provide all the necessary security functions in one package and improve security through a multi-tiered defense. It will also lower your installation and operation overhead and reduce your costs.

NetSTAR will continue to provide the global community with safe Internet access across a wide variety of devices.