IBM Launches Lotus Protector to Boost E-Mail Security

Published: September 9, 2008

by Alex Woodie

While e-mail remains the original "killer app" and an irreplaceable part of modern business and communication, the amount of spam and malware circulating the e-mail byways makes it more difficult than ever to manage efficiently. To address the headache that is e-mail security, IBM and its Internet Security Systems subsidiary are launching a new line of products called Lotus Protector, the first of which became available last week.

IBM and ISS say that the new Lotus Protector line of products will aim to solve common e-mail security problems, but to do so in a Domino-like way that's familiar to Domino administrators, as opposed to a generic way based on Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). The first Lotus Protector product, called Lotus Protector for Mail Security 2.1, became available this month.

Lotus Protector for Mail Security helps secure a Domino-based e-mail environment in several ways. First, it inspects and cleans all e-mail as it enters and leaves an organization. The e-mails are scanned for viruses and other malware, and filtered for spam. These are accomplished through advanced heuristics, IP reputation filtering, and transport layer security (TLS) encryption, the company says. It's available as a pre-loaded appliance, or as software.

Integration with Lotus Notes and Domino is what separates the new Lotus Protector products from other security products on the market, IBM says. The software "places a premium on being able to interoperate with Domino's user and security frameworks, and integrates with Notes clients to present a natural user experience," the company says in its software announcement, which can be viewed here.

Later this year, IBM will release its second Lotus Protector product, which will target more advanced Notes and Domino integration. Looking forward into 2009, IBM says it plans to deliver other Protector products to target other security and compliance challenges.

ISS, which IBM acquired in 2006 for $1.3 billion, runs the X-Force security intelligence service, and is based in Atlanta, Georgia.

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