ScanSafe
Encyclopedia
ScanSafe was a privately held company
backed by investors Benchmark Capital
and Scale Venture Partners, it was a provider of Web security-as-a-service (SaaS) for organizations. Co-founded in 1999 by brothers Eldar and Roy Tuvey, its services block malware
and secure the use of the Web
and messaging. Noted as being the first to successfully deliver a Secure Web Gateway service, the company competes with similar services offered by Blue Coat Systems
, MessageLabs
, Purewire
, Webroot, Websense
and Zscaler
.
ScanSafe has offices in London
, England
and San Francisco, California
and maintains alliance partnerships
with Google
, AT&T
, Sprint
, Kaspersky, Telus
, NEC
, Orange Business Services, Integralis, SoftScan, TopNordic, Viatel, Ancoris, and FVC.
MessageLabs
, a major provider of Messaging services ended a strategic partnership between the two companies in 2006. MessageLabs introduced a competing in-house product titled Web Security Service Version 2, resulting in a court judgment brought about by ScanSafe which required MessageLabs notify all prospective clients that the Version 2 service is not based on ScanSafe technology.
In November 2007, a malware outbreak on the Indiatimes
website was reported by ScanSafe. Whilst the website wasn't the only victim, the attack was notable due to the popularity of the website and in the number of vulnerabilities the malware attempted to exploit. Alexa
regularly ranks Indiatimes as one of the top 250 most visited websites.
In January 2009, ScanSafe reported a malware infection on the official website of Paris Hilton
.
In October 2009, ScanSafe discontinued Scandoo, a free service that provided advanced warning for security risks and offensive content in search engine
results.
In October 2009, Cisco
announced the acquisition of ScanSafe for approximately US$183 million. The deal was completed December 2009.
, awarded Best Software as a Service (SaaS) Solution by the Codie awards
and won Best Content Security Solution for 3 consecutive years as voted by SC Magazine readers. In September 2008 ScanSafe were awarded CNET
Security Product or Service of the Year for their Anywhere+ product, a software based filtering solution for mobile users.
A 2008 report by Gartner
identified ScanSafe as a challenger in the Secure Web Gateway (SWG) market, having moved from the visionary position previously occupied in 2007. Gartner acknowledged strong partner relationships and the ability to offer an excellent solution for companies with a high percentage of mobile workers and/or remote offices, but noted the service can be expensive and that report archiving is limited.
In October 2009, IDC
reported that ScanSafe holds over 30% of the worldwide SaaS Web Security market, more than any other vendor in the sector.
Privately held company
A privately held company or close corporation is a business company owned either by non-governmental organizations or by a relatively small number of shareholders or company members which does not offer or trade its company stock to the general public on the stock market exchanges, but rather the...
backed by investors Benchmark Capital
Benchmark Capital
Benchmark Capital is a venture capital firm responsible for the early stage funding of some very successful startups. In 1997, the firm invested $6.7 million in eBay, which became worth more than $5 billion by the spring of 1999. Other high-profile investments include Ariba, Juniper Networks, Red...
and Scale Venture Partners, it was a provider of Web security-as-a-service (SaaS) for organizations. Co-founded in 1999 by brothers Eldar and Roy Tuvey, its services block malware
Malware
Malware, short for malicious software, consists of programming that is designed to disrupt or deny operation, gather information that leads to loss of privacy or exploitation, or gain unauthorized access to system resources, or that otherwise exhibits abusive behavior...
and secure the use of the Web
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
and messaging. Noted as being the first to successfully deliver a Secure Web Gateway service, the company competes with similar services offered by Blue Coat Systems
Blue Coat Systems
Blue Coat Systems Inc. is a network security and network management company based in Sunnyvale, California, United States.It identifies itself as an application delivery network specialist...
, MessageLabs
MessageLabs
Symantec.cloud, is a major provider of integrated messaging and web security services , with over 19,000 clients ranging from small business to the Fortune 500 located in more than 86 countries and the United Kingdom Parliament...
, Purewire
Purewire
Purewire, launched in November 2007, provides an in-the-cloud security service for web traffic. Its services block malware and secure the use of the Web. The Purewire management team includes former employees of CipherTrust, which was acquired by Secure Computing and IBM Internet Security Systems...
, Webroot, Websense
Websense
Websense is a San Diego-based company specializing in Web security gateway software. It enables clients to block access to chosen categories of websites.-History:Websense was founded by Phil Trubey in 1994...
and Zscaler
Zscaler
Zscaler, launched on August 4, 2008, provides an in-the-cloud security service for web traffic. The service offers SaaS protection against malware and enforce policies for outbound web traffic. The company was founded by Jay Chaudhry, a security industry veteran and K. Kailash, former chief...
.
ScanSafe has offices in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and maintains alliance partnerships
Strategic alliance
A Strategic Alliance is a relationship between two or more parties to pursue a set of agreed upon goals or to meet a critical business need while remaining independent organizations...
with Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
, AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
, Sprint
Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel Corporation is an American telecommunications company based in Overland Park, Kansas. The company owns and operates Sprint, the third largest wireless telecommunications network in the United States, with 53.4 million customers, behind Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility...
, Kaspersky, Telus
TELUS
Telus is a national telecommunications company in Canada that provides a wide range of telecommunications products and services including internet access, voice, entertainment, video, and satellite television. The company is based in Burnaby, British Columbia, part of Greater Vancouver...
, NEC
NEC
, a Japanese multinational IT company, has its headquarters in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. NEC, part of the Sumitomo Group, provides information technology and network solutions to business enterprises, communications services providers and government....
, Orange Business Services, Integralis, SoftScan, TopNordic, Viatel, Ancoris, and FVC.
MessageLabs
MessageLabs
Symantec.cloud, is a major provider of integrated messaging and web security services , with over 19,000 clients ranging from small business to the Fortune 500 located in more than 86 countries and the United Kingdom Parliament...
, a major provider of Messaging services ended a strategic partnership between the two companies in 2006. MessageLabs introduced a competing in-house product titled Web Security Service Version 2, resulting in a court judgment brought about by ScanSafe which required MessageLabs notify all prospective clients that the Version 2 service is not based on ScanSafe technology.
In November 2007, a malware outbreak on the Indiatimes
Indiatimes
Indiatimes is the Internet subsidiary of The Times of India Group, under which, some of the largest websites in India - The Times of India, The Economic Times, Navbharat Times and Maharashtra Times operate....
website was reported by ScanSafe. Whilst the website wasn't the only victim, the attack was notable due to the popularity of the website and in the number of vulnerabilities the malware attempted to exploit. Alexa
Alexa Internet
Alexa Internet, Inc. is a California-based subsidiary company of Amazon.com that is known for its toolbar and Web site. Once installed, the toolbar collects data on browsing behavior which is transmitted to the Web site where it is stored and analyzed and is the basis for the company's Web traffic...
regularly ranks Indiatimes as one of the top 250 most visited websites.
In January 2009, ScanSafe reported a malware infection on the official website of Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
.
In October 2009, ScanSafe discontinued Scandoo, a free service that provided advanced warning for security risks and offensive content in search engine
Search engine
A search engine is an information retrieval system designed to help find information stored on a computer system. The search results are usually presented in a list and are commonly called hits. Search engines help to minimize the time required to find information and the amount of information...
results.
In October 2009, Cisco
Cisco
Cisco may refer to:Companies:*Cisco Systems, a computer networking company* Certis CISCO, corporatised entity of the former Commercial and Industrial Security Corporation in Singapore...
announced the acquisition of ScanSafe for approximately US$183 million. The deal was completed December 2009.
Recognition
In 2007 ScanSafe was named one of the top 100 technology startups in the world by Red HerringRed herring
A red herring is a deliberate attempt to divert attention.Red herring may refer to:* Red herring , the informal fallacy of presenting an argument that may in itself be valid, but does not address the issue in question....
, awarded Best Software as a Service (SaaS) Solution by the Codie awards
Codie awards
The CODiE awards are annual awards issued by the Software and Information Industry Association for excellence in software development within the software industry....
and won Best Content Security Solution for 3 consecutive years as voted by SC Magazine readers. In September 2008 ScanSafe were awarded CNET
CNET
CNET is a tech media website that publishes news articles, blogs, and podcasts on technology and consumer electronics. Originally founded in 1994 by Halsey Minor and Shelby Bonnie, it was the flagship brand of CNET Networks and became a brand of CBS Interactive through CNET Networks' acquisition...
Security Product or Service of the Year for their Anywhere+ product, a software based filtering solution for mobile users.
A 2008 report by Gartner
Gartner
Gartner, Inc. is an information technology research and advisory firm headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, United States. It was known as GartnerGroup until 2001....
identified ScanSafe as a challenger in the Secure Web Gateway (SWG) market, having moved from the visionary position previously occupied in 2007. Gartner acknowledged strong partner relationships and the ability to offer an excellent solution for companies with a high percentage of mobile workers and/or remote offices, but noted the service can be expensive and that report archiving is limited.
In October 2009, IDC
International Data Corporation
International Data Corporation is a market research and analysis firm specializing in information technology, telecommunications and consumer technology. IDC is a subsidiary of International Data Group...
reported that ScanSafe holds over 30% of the worldwide SaaS Web Security market, more than any other vendor in the sector.
Further reading
- Moe, Michael (2006) Finding the Next Starbucks: How to Identify and Invest in the Hot Stocks of Tomorrow, USA : Penguin Group, ISBN 9781591841340