Retina in the Cloud

We recently expanded our cloud-based security offerings with Retina Cloud, so I figured it was time to post my first blog on eEye and the cloud. eEye has been providing vulnerability scanning using a SaaS model since 2009 and today, we offer customers a variety of options with respect to vulnerability scanning from the “cloud”. eEye offers these cloud-based vulnerability scanning options:

• 1) Self-Service External Vulnerability Scanning or Certified External ASV Scanning eEye recently released Retina Cloud for customers to perform External Vulnerability Scanning and/or certified External ASV scanning using a simple automated self-service web portal. Once customers sign up, they simply select the IP addresses, schedule the scans, and then return to the portal to review the results. There is absolutely no need to install any software or appliances
• 2) Managed Service Offering: For customers who prefer to outsource their internal vulnerability scanning and endpoint management, eEye has developed strategic partnerships with national and regional security consultants and managed service providers. Our most recent partner announcement was in December 2010 with managed service platform provider, N-able technologies. These partnerships enable dedicated MSP providers to deliver Retina-driven vulnerability and compliance scanning in a totally outsourced model.

For partners or customers with an existing platform, we have also invested to simplify the integration with our core scanning engine – primarily around its licensing, vulnerability updating, result retrieval, and command/control functionality. Of course, this integration can be performed securely from the scanner located within the customer environment over the Internet to a cloud-based security console. Today, partners and customers integrate these scanners using a variety of approaches including command line, web services API, direct database connections, raw files, and event notification. In addition to providing a SaaS model for performing vulnerability scanning, Retina has also helped several customers secure their assets as they transitioned assets into their private and public “clouds.” Stay tuned as we continue to grow our cloud-based security offerings in 2011.