Round the Clock Weather Reporting Requires
Round the Clock Security
The Weather Channel Selects AirDefense For Its
Wireless Monitoring Solution
Atlanta - June 8, 2004 - AirDefense, the leader in 24x7
wireless security monitoring, today announced The Weather Channel
has selected AirDefense to protect its network from the threat
of wireless invasions.
More than a year ago The Weather Channel noticed access points
popping up in the building. Rather than restrict wireless from
company headquarters, The Weather Channel realized creating a
wireless policy and selecting a monitoring solution would allow
them to control the infrastructure as well as embrace the convenience
wireless provides.
"We recognized the potential risks an unsecured wireless
network presents. That is why we have taken a proactive approach
to implementing a wireless policy and monitoring our air space,"
said John Penrod, director of network architecture for The Weather
Channel. "AirDefense meets both these needs. It goes beyond
simple rogue detection and enables us to design and enforce a
common wireless practice among employees."
Within minutes of having the AirDefense solution in place, Penrod
was able to begin identifying rogue access points and wireless
devices in the air space. Using the AirDefense solution, recommended
by security services firm, Atlanta-based Vigilar, Penrod noticed
an access point from a neighboring hotspot network that was signaling
into The Weather Channel's air space.
"Having this immediate knowledge tells us our instinct to
invest in wireless monitoring was the right decision," said
Penrod.
"The AirDefense product offers ease of management and implementation,
and a high degree of flexibility. AirDefense also gives the company
the benefit of managing the solution at an enterprise level. Those
features are very important to The Weather Channel and fit within
the wireless policy we helped them develop," according to
Joseph Dell, Vigilar's chief technology officer.
The AirDefense WLAN security and monitoring system is based on
the patent-pending technology that incorporates distributed sensors
and an appliance. The remote sensors monitor all wireless LAN
activities 24x7 and communicate with the appliance, which correlates
and analyzes the data to provide scalable, centralized management
of real-time rogue detection, policy enforcement, intrusion protection
and health monitoring of the wireless LAN.
"The Weather Channel is a model company for other organizations
to follow," said Anil Khatod, president and CEO of AirDefense.
"By deploying the AirDefense solution, The Weather Channel
benefits from the productivity of a wireless network with the
knowledge that they are protecting the network against security
threats and attacks through rogue and intrusion detection and
policy enforcement."
About The Weather Channel
The Weather Channel, a 24-hour weather network, is seen in over
87 million U.S. households. Its Web site, weather.com, attracts
20 million unique users per month and is consistently ranked among
the Top 15 of all Web sites by Nielsen//NetRatings. The Weather
Channel also operates Weatherscan, a 24-hour, all-local weather
network distributed to almost 7 million households, The Weather
Channel Radio Network, The Weather Channel Newspaper Services and
is the leading weather information provider for emerging technologies.
This includes broadband and interactive television applications,
with wireless weather products accessible through high-speed Internet
services, phones, pagers, Palm Pilots, and other personal digital
assistants. The Weather Channel is owned by Landmark Communications,
Inc., a Norfolk, VA-based, privately held media company.
About AirDefense, Inc.
AirDefense is the thought leader and innovator of wireless LAN
security and operational support solutions. Founded in 2001, AirDefense
pioneered the concept of 24x7 monitoring of the airwaves and now
provides the most advanced solutions for rogue WLAN detection,
policy enforcement, intrusion protection and monitoring the health
of wireless LANs. As a key element of wireless LAN security, AirDefense
complements wireless VPNs, encryption and authentication. Based
on a secure appliance and remote sensors, AirDefense solutions
scale to support single offices, corporate campuses or hundreds
of locations. Blue chip companies and government agencies rely
upon AirDefense solutions to secure and manage wireless LANs around
the globe. For more information, go to www.airdefense.net or call
770.663.8115.
