Global Crossing, Verisign team on security

Global Crossing and Verisign have teamed up to offer managed security services for enterprises and government customers, across a portfolio of IP-based offerings. The new capability combines Global Crossing's Managed Security Services within the core of the network with Verisign's Managed Security Services at the edge and on the customer premises.

"This will enable us to provide added managed security to any service across one connection," said Kevin Courteau, director of product marketing management for Global Crossing. "By adding managed security, we can give our customers an additional layer of protection for all of their IP services."

Global Crossing's Managed Security Services not only encompasses its core network but extends to the customer's premises.

"We will take over management of their existing premises devices," Courteau said. "Our service includes managed firewall and managed intrusion detection right down to the premises."

Coming later are additional protections, including vulnerability alerts, incident response/forensics, phishing response, e-mail security and consulting.

Because of its foreign ownership, Global Crossing has a Network Security Agreement with 12 major U.S. government agencies, including the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice and Defense, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Its operations have gone through a process administered by the Committee on Foreign Investments in the U.S. and continue to be audited annually.

"As a result, we have a higher level of proven security within our network than most operators," said Courteau.

With this advanced level of security, Global Crossing can provide managed security services for distributed customer locations that use public Internet tunnels for access.