Networking Security Roundup:

It was a hot week for the networking security business. Several security firms announced products, reported customer agreements, financial results, and new market expansions.

Australia-based Protocom Development Systems announced the availability of Protocom SecureConsole version 3.5.0, the latest version of its console security solution developed for Novell NetWare.Officials say the new version hardens server security through a strategy of controlling and restricting server access rights. Server access rights to end-users are allowed only after they have been classified by the enterprise according to user group, organizational role or resource. End-users must identify themselves to the directory before they are granted access to a NetWare console.

Addressing solutions for the Microsoft marketplace, Network Engines announced security appliances powered by Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2004. Targeting small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the appliance is reportedly optimized for firewall/VPN solutions. Features of the solution, dubbed NS-6000, include centralized management tools, remote updating capabilities, configuration templates and application filters.

Users of IBM Lotus Notes and others needing inter-enterprise antivirus scanning have a new option from PGP Corp. The company's PGP Universal offering addresses two-way policy enforcement to help ensure compliance with security policies by external suppliers, partners, resellers, and customers. According to officials, it supports OpenPGP, X.509, and S/MIME standards, as well as integration with existing LDAP directories, public key infrastructure (PKI), and PGP Desktop deployments.

In business news from the security solutions marketplace, Citadel Security Software Inc. projected that its second-quarter 2004 revenue will jump 150 percent compared to the first quarter of this year. The actual revenue tally is expected to be $3.4 million. The Dallas-based company is calling for full-year revenue of $18.5-21 million.As the U.S. military continues to adopt more network security solutions, the U.S. Air Force announced that it will deploy Tech Laboratories Inc.'s Intrusion Detection System at an undisclosed airbase location. Tech Laboratories' equipment enables positive-access security to prevent unauthorized hacker attacks.

And over in the U.K., Omaha-based Insession Technologies signed an agreement to license its WebGate Web Services solution and its SafeTGate network and application security solution to the Nationwide Building Society. Officials say UK's fourth largest mortgage lender will use Insession's technology to enhance service to its 10 million customers by integrating transaction devices"including ATMs, branches, teller software and Internet banking services"across multiple mainframes.