Top Layer IPS 5500 Intrusion Prevention Solution Provides Proactive Protection Against Critical Apache Tomcat Vulnerability

March 9, 2007; 03:25 AM
Top Layer Networks, a global leader for high performance intrusion prevention solutions, today announced that its IPS 5500 provides customers with proactive protection against the highly critical Apache Tomcat vulnerability that was disclosed on Monday. Top Layer customers who are using the recommended IPS Rule Sets have been proactively protected for the past year against this threat, and require no further action on their part.

Apache Tomcat is a widely deployed Web server platform. The flaw resides in the implementation of the Apache Tomcat JK Web Server Connector, which can be exploited by malicious people to compromise a vulnerable system. By sending an overly long request to a vulnerable server, an attacker can cause a buffer overflow condition, and could cause the server to execute arbitrary code. Top Layer’s IPS 5500 provides proactive protection for the vulnerability by blocking requests that would cause the buffer overflow condition.

“Defects in commercially developed and open source software continue to be discovered at an alarming rate in 2007. The Apache Tomcat vulnerability is highly critical due to the very large number of servers on which this software runs. By exploiting this vulnerability, attackers can control the vulnerable server, which could lead to loss of data, denial of service, or botnet membership,” said Mike Paquette, Chief Strategy Office of Top Layer Networks. “Top Layer’s unique combination of Three Dimensional Protection (3DP) leverages protocol validation rules that protect our customers from exploitation of these vulnerabilities, often without the need for signature updates.”

About the Top Layer IPS 5500

The IPS 5500 family of products offers the strongest levels of network protection, performance and reliability on the market today. By combining content-based IPS/IDS, stateful firewall and attack mitigation algorithms, the IPS 5500 is the only solution that provides Three Dimensional Protection (3DP) against malicious content, undesired access and rate-based attacks. Top Layer’s architecture enables the IPS 5500 to protect enterprises and service providers from sophisticated attacks in real-time while enabling the highest throughput of legitimate traffic.

Top Layer Networks’ family of network intrusion prevention solutions, the IPS 5500 series, has received top accolades from the world’s most prestigious labs and influential publications. Top Layer has received significant recognition from the NSS Group, Computer Reseller News, Information Security Magazine, SC Magazine, IT Week, Service Provider Weekly, the Tolly Group, and more.

About Top Layer Networks

Top Layer Networks is dedicated to its role as a leading global provider of Network Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS), developing and bringing to market network security infrastructure solutions that help commercial and government organizations protect their critical on-line assets from the losses and risks associated with cyber threats. Its family of IPS appliances is designed with “Three Dimensional Protection” that provides the most advanced protection capabilities against known and unknown attacks at the highest performance rates. Top Layer Networks is headquartered in Massachusetts, USA with sales and support presence in Canada, Germany, Japan, Korea, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom.