Clearswift
Encyclopedia
Clearswift is a communications security company, providing web and email filtering for 25 million end users, at around 17,000 business customers. It has offices in six countries worldwide, with headquarters in Theale
, near Reading
, UK.
In April 2005 Clearswift began to market an SMTP appliance based upon the technology.
Clearswift has extended the MIMEsweeper line to include web and instant messaging filtering. These are marketed as protecting against the leakage of confidential company information on social networking sites - Clearswift argues that instead of banning Web 2.0 sites and services entirely, businesses can actually gain a competitive advantage by making use of them, provided their use is monitored.
Bastion
is a stand-alone application level firewall server, designed as a secure bastion host
for running content filtering or inspection for X.400
, SMTP, X.500
and SNMP
. It uses the Trusted Solaris operating system, and has been assured to CC
EAL4
.
is a high assurance boundary protection guard for X.400
and SMTP providing email content policy enforcement, including secure inspection of S/MIME
signed and encrypted messages within the assured protected environment provided by Bastion. DeepSecure
provides central message policy management for distributed DeepSecure
, and distributed management of security label policies using X.841 SPIFs. DeepSecure
has been evaluated to CC
EAL4 and selected in major military procurements.
.
In 1988, NET-TEL launched Route400, the world's first mail client for MS-DOS
(using the X.400
protocol). It was later ported to other platforms.
NET-TEL switched its main business to content filtering in 1998, as the popularity of the Microsoft Exchange Client
took away the mail client market.
NET-TEL was rebranded as Clearswift in 2001, after a round of venture capital fundraising.
In 2002, Clearswift acquired Content Technologies from Baltimore Technologies
, along with the MIMEsweeper brand.
In 2003, the company received $6.07 million from its shareholders, including venture capital funds managed by Amadeus Capital Partners, BA Capital Partners, Cazenove Private Equity, and Kennet Partners
. Also, it was reported that Clearswift were the providers of a new email filtering system at the House of Commons
, responsible for blocking Welsh language emails as "inappropriate content", and preventing MPs receiving copies of a Sexual Offences Bill. Clearswift would not confirm that the House of Commons was a customer, citing customer confidentiality reasons.
In January 2008, failure to renew a domain name caused loss of email services to 5% of Clearswift's customers.
Theale, Berkshire
Theale is a large village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. The village has many of the attributes of a small town, with a high street lined with shops, pubs and restaurants.- Location :...
, near Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, UK.
SECURE Web Gateway
New product built on MIMEsweeper platform but with much simplified user interface and operations management. Gateway includes, Linux OS, AV, Anti Malware etc + Reporting all in a single deliverable. Can be deployed on virtual environments, own hardware or purchased as an appliance.SECURE Email Gateway
The replacement product for MIMEsweeper. As with SECURE Web Gateway, provides much simplified user interface and operations management. Includes Linux OS, AV, Anti Malware and much improved SPAM detaction and reporting all in a single deliverable. Can be deployed on virtual environments, own hardware or purchased as an appliance.MIMEsweeper
MIMEsweeper was originally a mail filtering product of Content Technologies.In April 2005 Clearswift began to market an SMTP appliance based upon the technology.
Clearswift has extended the MIMEsweeper line to include web and instant messaging filtering. These are marketed as protecting against the leakage of confidential company information on social networking sites - Clearswift argues that instead of banning Web 2.0 sites and services entirely, businesses can actually gain a competitive advantage by making use of them, provided their use is monitored.
Bastion
Note Clearswift sold the Deep-secure, Bastion and Flashpoint products in Dec of 2009.Bastion
Deep-secure
Deep-Secure provides a range of EAL4-assured data sharing solutions for customers including UK MoD, UK Government, NATO, Australian Defence, BAE Systems...
is a stand-alone application level firewall server, designed as a secure bastion host
Bastion host
A bastion host is a special purpose computer on a network specifically designed and configured to withstand attacks. The computer generally hosts a single application, for example a proxy server, and all other services are removed or limited to reduce the threat to the computer...
for running content filtering or inspection for X.400
X.400
X.400 is a suite of ITU-T Recommendations that define standards for Data Communication Networks for Message Handling Systems — more commonly known as "email"....
, SMTP, X.500
X.500
X.500 is a series of computer networking standards covering electronic directory services. The X.500 series was developed by ITU-T, formerly known as CCITT, and first approved in 1988. The directory services were developed in order to support the requirements of X.400 electronic mail exchange and...
and SNMP
Simple Network Management Protocol
Simple Network Management Protocol is an "Internet-standard protocol for managing devices on IP networks. Devices that typically support SNMP include routers, switches, servers, workstations, printers, modem racks, and more." It is used mostly in network management systems to monitor...
. It uses the Trusted Solaris operating system, and has been assured to CC
Common Criteria
The Common Criteria for Information Technology Security Evaluation is an international standard for computer security certification...
EAL4
.
DeepSecure
DeepSecureDeep-secure
Deep-Secure provides a range of EAL4-assured data sharing solutions for customers including UK MoD, UK Government, NATO, Australian Defence, BAE Systems...
is a high assurance boundary protection guard for X.400
X.400
X.400 is a suite of ITU-T Recommendations that define standards for Data Communication Networks for Message Handling Systems — more commonly known as "email"....
and SMTP providing email content policy enforcement, including secure inspection of S/MIME
S/MIME
S/MIME is a standard for public key encryption and signing of MIME data. S/MIME is on an IETF standards track and defined in a number of documents, most importantly RFCs. S/MIME was originally developed by RSA Data Security Inc...
signed and encrypted messages within the assured protected environment provided by Bastion. DeepSecure
Deep-secure
Deep-Secure provides a range of EAL4-assured data sharing solutions for customers including UK MoD, UK Government, NATO, Australian Defence, BAE Systems...
provides central message policy management for distributed DeepSecure
Deep-secure
Deep-Secure provides a range of EAL4-assured data sharing solutions for customers including UK MoD, UK Government, NATO, Australian Defence, BAE Systems...
, and distributed management of security label policies using X.841 SPIFs. DeepSecure
Deep-secure
Deep-Secure provides a range of EAL4-assured data sharing solutions for customers including UK MoD, UK Government, NATO, Australian Defence, BAE Systems...
has been evaluated to CC
Common Criteria
The Common Criteria for Information Technology Security Evaluation is an international standard for computer security certification...
EAL4 and selected in major military procurements.
FlashPoint
FlashPoint is a Military Messaging client and server product set that is unique in its use of the 1994 X.400 Message Store access protocol P7.History
Clearswift was originally founded as NET-TEL in 1982. One of the co-founders, John Horton, had previously worked at GEC and Acorn ComputersAcorn Computers
Acorn Computers Ltd. was a British computer company established in Cambridge, England, in 1978. The company produced a number of computers which were especially popular in the UK. These included the Acorn Electron, the BBC Micro, and the Acorn Archimedes...
.
In 1988, NET-TEL launched Route400, the world's first mail client for MS-DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
(using the X.400
X.400
X.400 is a suite of ITU-T Recommendations that define standards for Data Communication Networks for Message Handling Systems — more commonly known as "email"....
protocol). It was later ported to other platforms.
NET-TEL switched its main business to content filtering in 1998, as the popularity of the Microsoft Exchange Client
Microsoft Exchange Client
Microsoft Exchange Client was a multi-purpose messaging product useful for managing e-mail. It was the native and bundled client for Microsoft Exchange Server up to version 5.0, later superseded by Microsoft Outlook....
took away the mail client market.
NET-TEL was rebranded as Clearswift in 2001, after a round of venture capital fundraising.
In 2002, Clearswift acquired Content Technologies from Baltimore Technologies
Baltimore Technologies
Baltimore Technologies was a leading Irish internet security firm, with its headquarters in Dublin Ireland. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was briefly part of the FTSE 100 Index during 2000.-History:...
, along with the MIMEsweeper brand.
In 2003, the company received $6.07 million from its shareholders, including venture capital funds managed by Amadeus Capital Partners, BA Capital Partners, Cazenove Private Equity, and Kennet Partners
Kennet Partners
Kennet Partners is a private equity investment firm that provides growth capital to information technology, Internet and business services companies in Europe and the US....
. Also, it was reported that Clearswift were the providers of a new email filtering system at the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, responsible for blocking Welsh language emails as "inappropriate content", and preventing MPs receiving copies of a Sexual Offences Bill. Clearswift would not confirm that the House of Commons was a customer, citing customer confidentiality reasons.
In January 2008, failure to renew a domain name caused loss of email services to 5% of Clearswift's customers.