All-in-one system tackles cyber foes (hktdc.com)


	Michael Gazeley, co-founder of security service company Network Box, says Hong Kong makes the ideal base for serving his international clients

A Hong Kong network security company is winning international awards and recognition for a pioneering technology that protects computers and networks from increasing attacks in cyberspace. In the process, its home-grown Unified Threat Management (UTM) technology is redefining managed security services around the world.

When partners Michael Gazeley and Mark Webb-Johnson set up Network Box Hong Kong Limited five years ago, they asked themselves what was the number one reason people have internet problems. They concluded that basically there was no protection and if there was, it was incorrectly configured.

Mr Gazeley explained that the need for organisations around the world to secure their networks has never been more urgent. "We are seeing an attack attempt every five seconds, and an intrusion attempt every 12 seconds. On average, we receive a SPAM email every 1.1 minute and about 65 per cent of all emails are infected or are SPAM. At work, about 47 per cent of all workers are doing non-related work activities on the internet so you really have to protect your system.

Protection plus

People "laughed at us" five years ago when the pair said they'd come up with an integrated all-in-one system to fight all the threats as it was clear that traditional firewalls were no longer enough, Mr Gazeley said.

"There are lots of different technologies involved in the UTM but people really don't want to know. They just want to be protected. The idea behind Network Box is similar to that of using a high quality water filter to make tap water safe for drinking. Instead of allowing an internet connection to connect directly into a company's computer systems, the internet connection goes to the Network Box, and the Network Box is then connected to the company network."

Once this is done, the dangers of the internet, such as hackers, viruses, spyware and worms stay on the "outside," and users can enjoy the benefits of the internet safely on the "inside."

In addition to safety, the Network Box system also addresses the increasingly important question of compliance. Companies and organisations not only need to enforce their own internal policies and regulations; but they also have to ensure that the end users of their computer systems, be they staff or otherwise, stay within the laws of the land.

Award winning technology

Using real-time "push" update technology, each Network Box is monitored, maintained and managed 24/7 year round. "Our award winning push technology allows us to offer an unprecedented level of protection to our clients. Whenever a new anti-virus update, security patch, or new SPAM signature becomes available, it is pushed out to every Network Box customer in the world in an average of under 45 seconds," explained Mr Gazeley.

Network Box now has an impressive international client list such as Nintendo, Hitachi, BMW, Unisys and Toyota; and nearer home JobsDB, Autotoll, Wilson Parking, Tradelink and Sun Hung Kai Properties. Headquartered in Hong Kong, Network Box now has secure operations centres in more than a dozen countries around the world.

"Back in 2000 when we started, we wanted to find the best software modelling tool possible," Mr Gazeley said. "We found Visual Paradigm. This turned out to be developed in Hong Kong. Not long afterwards, we needed a state-of-the-art graphical charting tool, and found Chart Director, which also turned out to be developed in Hong Kong. It is heartening that so much world-class software is produced in Hong Kong. We use these products not because we are trying to support Hong Kong, but because they are the best in their respective fields."

Safe as houses

According to Mr Gazeley, Hong Kong is an ideal place to do business and an ideal place for security service companies like Network Box. "Geographically, Hong Kong is built on granite so you are not faced with earthquakes. We are statistically not likely to get hit by tsunamis, and politically, the city is unlikely to be high up on any terrorist's hit list. There's also nowhere else in the world with better connectivity than Hong Kong. Like Japan and Korea, we can hold our own with the best in the world, in all forms of telecommunications."

Hong Kong, he said, is in many ways already a Silicon Valley in terms of IT savvy. "There are a large number of excellent IT companies in Hong Kong right now and people know what they are doing. Hong Kong produces some of the best software and hardware products but we need to get that message across. The issue is one of marketing, not one of technology."

Network Box has won a clutch of international awards and has become almost a household name in the network security services industry. It was voted Info Security Hot Company 2006 by Silicon Valley Communications; it won C3 Expo's Best of Show 2005 Enterprises Services Award, as well as the Linux Pilot Editor's Choice in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

"I am very honoured by these awards but if I had a wish, it would be that people take security more seriously. It is more satisfying to have healthy patients to maintain instead of sick patients to cure," Mr Gazeley said.

HK high tech security with global reach