A tiny network security device running embedded Linux has earned Innominate the Wolfsburg AG Competence Prize, this year awarded for the IT category in the field of “Network Embedded Systems.” Judges in the 25,000 Euro annual prize for industry co-sponsored by Volkswagon and the city of Wolfsburg praised Innominate for… building a security device on an open architecture, for filling a market niche, and for the ease of use of its Linux-based “Innominate mGuard” security appliance. The device runs a hardened Linux kernel based on Debian 2.4 that Innominate developed in-house.

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Only 0.78 x 2.2 x 3.74 inches in size (board dimensions), mGuard is the world's smallest security appliance, according to Innominate. It is used in industrial automation in robots or machines and in point of sales applications such as cashdesk systems and automatic tellers. mGuard protects IP (Internet Protocol) communication against attacks from viruses, data espionage, and manipulation, and its open structure makes it easy to integrate it into any industrial product, device, or point of sales system, according to Innominate.

Innominate lists the following specifications for the mGuard Pro:

• Hardware
  • Ultra-compact casing
  • Intel IXP 425 processor with 266 MHz
  • 32 MB RAM
  • 8 MB Flash
  • 2 x 10/100 Mbit Ethernet
  • Electricity supply via USB with external power supply
• Security functions
  • VPN connection, Shared Secret
  • VPN connection, internal and external X.509 certificates
  • IPsec protocol
  • 3DES, AES hardware encryption up to 40 Mbit/sec
  • L2TP
  • Stateful inspection firewall
  • Transparent mode
• Optional virus protection
  • Hardware virus protection with Innominate mGuard
  • Daily updating of signatures
  • E-mail scanning
• Further functions
  • Browser-based administration
  • Copy-protected file system
  • Secure boot loader
  • DHCP

“With mGuard, we wanted to make our mark and develop a miniature appliance which can be modified and expanded at will as a result of its open architecture. The fact that it was precisely this openness that was decisive in the decision to award us the prize shows that we are on the right track,” states Olaf Siemens, Director of Innominate Security Technologies AG.

To learn more about mGuard and its patent-pending “tranparent mode,” have a look at our product announcement from the Feb. 13, 2003 Intel Developer Forum.

Read more about mGuard

 
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