| Layer 7 Develops Security Gateway for Federal Agencies | | Print | |
| Wednesday, 19 September 2007 | |
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September 20, 2007 Layer 7 Technologies, whose SecureSpan XML Firewall appliances and software tools perform higher level security and data validation-related functions, has announced that it has developed a version of its SecureSpan for satisfying U.S. federal homeland security and related implementations. In conjunction with introduction of the new offering, it is also ramping up its federal systems practice. In addition to XML parsing and filtering functions, the systems are being implemented to mediate trust relationships across multiple domains, or in this case, different federal agencies and/or outside contractors. In each case, the agency or contractor may have its own policies for what content is allowable and how it authorizes and authenticates users who are accessing data or services.With internal IT systems, these trusts are implicit. But when federating trust, which is the scenario where one organization accepts another’s assurances that the requesting party should be granted access, trust has to be made more explicit. You can't always assume a knowledge of who the requestor is, not to mention knowing what their role, access rights, or organizational affiliation is. That's of course what Oasis web services standards, ranging from WS-Security to the competing Liberty/SAML and WS-Federation specifications, seek to accomplish. Yet these standards are still evolving and are not yet widely applied. The dilemma is that Layer 7, like others who provide software and appliances for SOA environments, design their products to work with standards. Yet, as the Layer 7 offering for federal agencies shows, you can't rely on Oasis standards alone. So the Layer 7 gateway for federal agencies will use Oasis and other security standards internally, but will also include adapters for proprietary technologies used. It also includes a VPN client to manage compliance with external protocols such as PKI encryption. Layer 7 may use its experience in customizing its XML firewall to federal agencies to other verticals, such as telecommunications and insurance, which also encounter similar requirements for federating trust.
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