Avix Telecom, Argus create secure AIN

Argus Systems Group and Avix Telecom Solutions today announced a partnership that will give competitive and wireless carriers the ability to access advanced intelligent network applications in a secure environment.

Together, the two companies will integrate Avix’ new AIN service creation software with Argus’ PitBull Secure Web Appliance software. The partnership, the first for Argus which has a history in the banking industry, will let carriers create open systems based solutions for voice and data network applications while protecting the Web application servers and back-end databases housing sensitive customer information.

Currently, most signaling is done in a closed environment where access is strictly controlled. However, the development of softswitches is introducing IP-based environments that are susceptible to hacking, said Greg Tennant, senior vice president of Argus Systems Group’s appliance division.

“Anyone coming in from that public network can hack into that operating system,” said Tennant. “There’s a loophole that [voice over IP] brings to that close environment.” Firewalls, which many carriers currently use can separate the back end environment, but they’re incapable of protecting from someone with access to the signaling environment, said Tennant.

Argus’ PitBull Secure Web Appliance software prevents hackers from being able to alter the content applications hosted on server appliances configured with its software. Avix aims to provide service control points that integrate multiple signaling protocols into an open AIN service creation environment. The result lets new carriers access the huge databases necessary for basic services as well as more IP-based services. In that second model, though “carriers are very concerned about the security of their customer database,” said Doyal Bryant, president of Avix Telecom Solutions.

“The Internet as a whole just doesn’t have that security element right now.”