TOKYO, Aug. 26, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (Nasdaq:IIJI) (TSE1:3774) ("IIJ"), one of Japan's leading Internet access and comprehensive network solutions providers, today announced it will add the new Malware Blocking Option to the integrated Web security functions of the IIJ Web Gateway Service starting today.
"Malware" is the general term for computer viruses, spyware, and other programs created to infect computers and exploit the weaknesses that can be found within operating systems and software applications. Once it infects a computer, malware can steal information assets such as passwords and personal information, and it can use the computer as a base from which to attack other computers. Recently, the number of cases have been increasing in which users have been directed from one site to another that is distributing malware, and thus become infected, and so it is becoming urgent that corporations in particular adopt malware countermeasures.
IIJ's new Malware Blocking Option matches URLs being accessed from within the corporate network against IIJ's proprietary black list on the IIJ Web Gateway Service, and if a match is found on the black list, it automatically disallows the connection. This prevents malware from entering the corporate network at all. Through its activities in the Malware Investigation Task Force(1), IIJ has analyzed and compiled information on malware distribution sites and sites that illicitly collect personal information, and it is this information that is used in IIJ's proprietary black lists. These lists provide corporate computers with a high level of protection against malware, and they also prevent personal information and other information assets from being distributed externally in the event that a corporate computer is somehow infected.
The IIJ Secure Web Gateway Service has been providing a certain level of protection through anti-virus functions that detect and expunge the malware itself, but this latest option blocks the malware that the earlier filters and anti-virus features couldn't, thus maintaining the integrity of corporate networks.
This option is being provided initially as a trial service, and it is scheduled to be released as a commercial service in fiscal 2009. IIJ will continue to expand the features on the IIJ Secure Web Gateway to maintain the security of our customers' networks with the latest in security techniques.
(1) Malware Investigation Task Force: Starting in May 2007, the task
force has been using a honeypot to monitor malware on the network.
About IIJ
Founded in 1992, Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (Nasdaq:IIJI) (TSE1:3774) ("IIJ") is one of Japan's leading Internet-access and comprehensive network solutions providers. IIJ and its group of companies provide total network solutions that mainly cater to high-end corporate customers. The company's services include high-quality systems integration and security services, Internet access, hosting/housing, and content design. Moreover, the company has built one of the largest Internet backbone networks in Japan, and between Japan and the United States. IIJ was listed on NASDAQ in 1999 and on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2006. For more information about IIJ, visit the IIJ Web site at http://www.iij.ad.jp/en/.
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The statements within this release contain forward-looking statements about our future plans that involve risk and uncertainty. These statements may differ materially from actual future events or results. Readers are referred to the documents furnished by Internet Initiative Japan Inc. with the SEC, specifically the most recent reports on Forms 20-F and 6-K, which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements.