Verizon Adds Managed Security Services to Internet Service Provider Product Mix

NEW YORK - Verizon Internet Service Provider Markets, a unit of Verizon Communications, now offers network security solutions as part of its product line targeted at Internet service provider (ISP) customers.

Verizon will resell the full range of Activis solutions, including firewall management tools, virtual private networks, an e-mail content management and filtering tool and a vulnerability scanning service.

"Adding Activis' vulnerability scanning service and other managed security services will allow us to assist the small to mid-range ISP to compete effectively with the big guys," said Eric Solomon, Verizon national sales manager - enhanced IP solutions. "With increased attacks from spam and hackers, network security is a vital concern to Internet service providers who are managing vast networks for public and private use."

Verizon is now offering "vulnerability scanning service," an easy-to-use tool to assess corporate Internet networks for known security problems. It makes thousands of scans across multiple platforms, including Microsoft®, Windows NT®, Windows® 95, Windows® 98, Windows® 2000 and Unix Systems. It scans for known domain name system (DNS) vulnerabilities such as buffer overflows. It also scans popular Web servers, checking for vulnerabilities in server software, simple mail transport protocol (SMTP), SendMail and Unix Remote Procedure Calls.

Information service providers, who enforce e-mail security policies across their network, may find the Activis e:) scan service a resilient tool for filtering undesirable e-mail and attachments. Customers can adapt these filters to compliment their own specific e-mail policies concerning e-mail content, spam, virus protection, image files, movie/animation files, encrypted data, executables, and large files. Once the filters are defined, ISPs can quarantine, delay, or block e-mail attachments which do not comply with their policies.

"We are pleased to be providing Activis' full range of managed security solutions to Verizon, who is clearly a leader in communication services," said David Sperandeo, Activis vice president of channel sales-North America. "This will immediately give Verizon the opportunity to add value to its sales proposition without a huge investment in training or equipment."

Verizon ISP Markets is a unit within Verizon Communications that focuses on the delivery of high-speed Internet and data capabilities to the ISP market in the areas formerly served by Bell Atlantic and GTE. With sales offices throughout the country, Verizon offers a comprehensive roster of network products for Internet service providers, including DSL, ATM, PRI SNS, SONET, CYBERPOP and Frame Relay. For more information about the Verizon products and services offered for information service providers, please visit our website at www.verizon.com/ispmarkets.

Verizon Communications

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States, with 112 million access line equivalents and 27 million wireless customers. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world. A Fortune 10 company with approximately 260,000 employees and more than $65 billion in annual revenues, Verizon's global presence extends to 40 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.

Activis

Activis offers managed security services to enable customers to secure the IT infrastructure, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. Activis is part of Articon-Integralis AG, the European market leader in the IT security solutions sector. Activis security services operate world-wide with security management centers (SMC) established in Germany, the UK and the USA. Activis offers 4 tiers of firewall and VPN management services ranging from basic monitoring to a fully managed and monitored service offering. Additionally, Activis provides a range of content management (e:)scan) and Vulnerability Scanning Services (VSS). Activis provides a world-wide-managed security service marketed through distributors, OEMs, ISPs and value added resellers, offering customers the highly secure service infrastructure of a partner with long-term expertise in security solutions and services. Additional information about Activis is available at www.activis.com.