Cisco/Microsoft Security Pact,
Promising but Short on Details
21 October 2004
On 18 October 2004, Cisco and Microsoft announced a partnership to make their scan-and-block network security systems interoperable. Cisco and Microsoft will work toward interoperability of Cisco's Network Access Control and Microsoft's Network Access Protection architectures.
Analysis
Gartner believes scan and block is an important security enhancement for enterprise networks. Cisco and Microsoft working together could simplify scan-and-block implementations, thereby improving enterprise protection against worms and other attacks.
It's promising that these industry giants are cooperating, but they need to provide more details. Neither company has announced a time frame or a road map, which is a cause for concern. To convince their customers that they are serious, Cisco and Microsoft need to make implementation details public by 1Q05, or 2Q05 at the latest. These details must include plans for the use of industry-standard protocols to avoid a proprietary approach that locks customers into Cisco hardware or Microsoft software. If Microsoft and Cisco don't move quickly on these issues, customers should look to other vendors for scan-and-block capabilities, such as those proposed by vendors that are part of the Trusted Computing Group's Trusted Network Connect initiative. However, if Cisco and Microsoft demonstrate real development of open, interoperable solutions, their joint customers will benefit significantly in the long term, since their strategic product families will include built-in, interoperable scan-and-block functions.
Recommendations: Before this announcement, Gartner advised implementing scan-and-block technology now and not waiting for Cisco and Microsoft to complete their road maps. This advice still holds. Cisco and Microsoft still have substantial work to do to advance their own scan-and-block solutions. Microsoft will delay Network Access Protection and will ship it as part of Longhorn in 2007. In the meantime, security managers should look to the growing field of vendors that offer independent scan-and-block products, including Sygate, InfoExpress and Check Point Software Technologies.
If you were already moving toward deploying third-party scan-and-block solution, don't delay. If you are waiting for a Cisco or Microsoft solution, make it clear to those vendors that you require standards-based approaches.
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