NCP engineering’s Remote Access VPN Management System Now Linux-Compatible

Posted: 21st May 2013 by VPN Haus in Mobile, Rethink Remote Access, VPN
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A recent Linux enterprise end-user survey found that more than 80 percent of respondents plan to increase the number of Linux servers in their organizations over the next five years. As such, it’s imperative that IT takes all the necessary precautions to ensure a company’s networking hardware and software supports Linux. Heeding this market demand, NCP engineering has announced the availability of its Linux-compatible Secure Enterprise Management System (SEM) 3.0.

The NCP SEM 3.0 is a fully automated VPN management software solution that was recently named a finalist in the American Business Awards. By centrally controlling enterprise VPN clients and SSL/IPsec VPN gateways, NCP’s technology substantially reduces the complexity and total cost of ownership (TCO) for network administrators. SEM 3.0 also supports the NCP Secure Enterprise Android Client, which allows IT administrators to seamlessly and safely integrate employees’ Android 4.0+ smartphones or tablets into their enterprises’ remote access VPN infrastructure. NCP simplifies the process of configuring VPN clients on Android devices, and helps administrators easily issue certificates, licenses and other security updates.

Enterprises utilizing SEM 3.0 for Linux can now enjoy the benefits of NCP’s advanced Two-Factor Authentication, too. This solution is enabled with a mobile phone or device that uses a One-Time Password that users receive via SMS. Each password provided by NCP is a created by a random number generated within the NCP Advanced Authentication Connector. To learn more about the NCP SEM 3.0’s new Linux compatibility, check out the full press release here. Happy SEM Linux users – we’d love to hear your feedback on the software!

eWeek Explains How NCP’s VPN Client Supports Android BYOD Security

Posted: 16th May 2013 by VPN Haus in Industry Commentary, IT policy, Mobile, SSL, Uncategorized, VPN
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Enterprises know they’ll have happier employees if they embrace BYOD rather than prohibit it. Welcoming BYOD can be better for business output, too—the trick is to find the tools that keep employees productive when they’re using their own smartphones, tablets or laptops to access the corporate network remotely.

In his recent reviews of NCP’s managed IPsec VPN clients compatible with Android (version 4.0 and higher), eWeek journalist Jeff Cogswell set out to determine just how well NCP’s VPN supports BYOD. The result? Not just a pass, but one with flying colors.

Cogswell was particularly sold on a few of NCP’s product features that make it suited for welcoming Android-based mobile devices into the enterprise. For one, the installation was a quick and painless process. Right away, Cogswell connected to NCP’s test server and his own VPN server, which is OpenBSD. He also tested it with a Cisco server, and it worked in all cases—the fact that NCP’s Secure Enterprise Android Client is compatible with all common VPN gateways is a huge plus, since IT departments are increasingly compelled to support various platforms. The eWeek reviewer was also relieved that his smartphone didn’t have to be rooted; in fact, he said it’s a significant differentiator between NCP’s offering and other Android apps: “I have spent a lot of time using Android devices in recent years, and what struck me as particularly interesting is that your phone doesn’t need to be rooted. Rather, Android supports the networking tasks that this VPN client requires. That’s a huge plus.”

Cogswell highlighted many other benefits, including how the client allows you to choose the Internet Key Exchange (IKE) type or a fully qualified domain name, and how it supports both split and IPSec compression. He noted that the client’s ability to configure the VPN to start automatically will be particularly useful for corporate-issued devices and in BYOD environments, as it might compel IT to enforce the “always-on” VPN policy for personal devices. The ability for IT managers to easily access NCP’s VPN logs was also singled out as a handy attribute, in case they need to determine if there are any problems.

Cogswell also explored the slight nuances between NCP’s basic and premium Android clients  and concluded that both versions provide the necessary encryption and authentication functionality enterprises need to support a BYOD environment.

So, why use NCP’s VPN clients for Android? Take it from Cogswell, who says it best: “A good VPN client should be transparent, and indeed this one is … the client is easy to install and configure. Once it’s up and running, it sits in the background and doesn’t interfere with your work. It definitely does what you would expect a good VPN client to do.”

Want to trial the products yourself? We encourage you to download the basic and premium  versions of the NCP Secure Android Client from the Google Play Store and try the free 30-day trial of the managed VPN client.

We also invite you to view the eWeek slideshow here.

May Feature of the Month: SSL VPN & PortableLAN Client, Part Three

Posted: 14th May 2013 by VPN Haus in IT policy, SSL, VPN
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Over the past couple of weeks, we have explored the Web proxy feature of our SSL VPN technology, which isolates the internal Web server from direct access via the Internet. We have also discussed the thin client SSL, which provides companies with secure remote access to a wide range of corporate applications that aren’t exclusively Web-enabled. This week, we will round out our May Feature of the Month series with NCP’s PortableLAN Client.

The Web proxy and thin clients successfully delivered secure remote connections to those customers seeking access to Web- and non-http-enabled applications, yet we were noticing an increasing demand for a client that could deliver a fully transparent connection to the central network. With today’s workforce becoming increasingly mobile, our customers have made it clear that it is imperative for remote employees to have comprehensive network access. With this in mind, we created the NCP PortableLAN Client.

To understand how the PortableLAN Client works, a basic knowledge of a local area network (LAN) is required. A LAN is a group of computers and associated devices that share a common communications line or wireless link (i.e. a corporate network). In order to deliver a fully transparent portable LAN, the SSL VPN software must be installed on each end device, similar to the process of installing an IPsec client. Once this is done, the client serves as the virtual connection, transmitting all network traffic via the encrypted SSL connection and allowing workers to connect remotely. Just like that, comprehensive, fully transparent network access is made available!

Whether companies require their remote network access to be completely opaque, or specific to Web applications, NCP’s SSL VPN technology delivers the necessary security. The NCP Secure Enterprise VPN Server has strong authentication features, such as one-time-password (OTP) via token or SMS text messages, or digital certificates. What’s more, the software can be scaled according an enterprise’s specific needs, and can be installed directly on hardware using the Windows or Linux operating systems, or as a virtual machine.

For additional information about our May Feature of the Month, please click here. We are also happy to answer any questions you may have in the comments section below!

May Feature of the Month: SSL VPN, Part Two: Thin Client

Posted: 9th May 2013 by VPN Haus in IT policy, SSL, VPN
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Last week, we took a look at the web proxy feature of our SSL VPN technology as part of our Feature of the Month series. This week, we’ll be focusing on NCP’s thin client SSL, which provides companies with secure remote access to a wide range of corporate applications that aren’t exclusively Web-enabled.

Soon after enterprises saw clear productivity gains when mobile workers were able to access their corporate networks with NCP’s web proxy VPN, more customers started demanding greater functionality from their SSL VPNs. Specifically, our users wanted to connect directly to certain applications on specific ports. In response to that demand, we introduced our second-generation SSL in the form of a thin client, which is a small footprint software client installed and linked via the SSL session.

Now, if companies wish to access non-http-enabled applications and are using an SSL VPN tunnel to communicate with a specific server within the company network, it is best to use a thin client SSL VPN. The thin client has to be installed at the end device and can be downloaded via Web browser. Specifically, companies use NCP’s port forwarding technology to open ports, configured by the administrator. These local ports allow software to securely communicate with the designated server within the company network.

As you can imagine, workforce mobility has forced companies to seek even greater SSL capabilities, like comprehensive secure access to the resources housed on internal corporate networks. Tune in next time, when we round out our May Feature of the Month series by explaining our portableLAN fat client SSL functionality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Windows XP’s End of Support Means for Security

Posted: 7th May 2013 by VPN Haus in Industry Commentary, Rethink Remote Access
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This past summer, there was a lot of discussion around the advent of Windows 8, but one topic that was seemingly lost among all of the reviews of the latest operating system (OS) was the encroaching retirement of Windows XP. When you consider that this time next year (April 14th, to be exact,) security fixes, patches for vulnerabilities and updates to software will disappear to the more than 15 percent of midsize and large enterprises still running Windows XP, companies are remiss to not recognize its huge security implications.

If companies don’t migrate to Windows 7 or higher, they will leave their entire network and systems vulnerable to malicious exploits targeting the expired OS, like cyber and DDOS attacks, data theft and hacking. In other words, it’s absolutely critical that organizations migrate to a modern OS ASAP. To do this, however, companies will need to do a clean install, meaning they’ll need to transition all user data and reinstall or repackage all of their applications to the new Windows 7 or Windows 8 system.

Normally, this can be a time and labor-intensive process, and requires testing all hardware, peripherals and applications to make sure they work with one of Microsoft’s newest OSs. And this means third-party remote access VPN and security software, too – because, while Windows 8 comes will embedded features like DirectAccess and Secure Boot, their pitfalls make it essential to deploy layered security measures in order to effectively lock down a corporate network.

So as companies try to beat the clock, where should they turn? For optimal security without breaking the bank, they’ll need robust solutions that support the latest Windows OSs, which will maximize their investment during the migration process. For instance, NCP’s centrally managed IPsec VPN client suite, which is fully compatible with Windows XP/Vista/7/8, offers end users increased device and OS flexibility when connecting to their corporate networks.

But best-of-breed technology alone isn’t enough to secure an enterprise, especially as today’s threat landscape intensifies in complexity. Microsoft said it itself: “Securing an OS requires multiple layers of defense.” This means companies should deploy a combination of client device firewalls, hybrid IPsec and SSL VPNs as well as anti-virus software, all interconnected in intelligent ways, that can adapt to the dynamism of today’s shifting landscape – and the key will be finding third-party solutions than can play a role in this defense-in-depth strategy for powerful threat responses.

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