LGS Innovations to protect network components from hidden cybersecurity threats

Herndon, VA-based LGS Innovations (LGS), a provider of network solutions and specialized research and development, announced on February 4 the launch of LGS CodeGuardian™, believed to be the world’s first independently developed solution aimed at protecting operating system level software of third party network switches and routers from security threats and vulnerabilities.

The CodeGuardian technology provides a combination of software vulnerability analysis, diversification, and distribution via a protected supply chain. This triple layered approach will harden and further protect network devices at both the software source code and binary executable levels to enhance overall network security.

Government and enterprise networks are increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks as modern day routers and switches have become more sophisticated, featuring millions of lines of code created by developers across multiple countries.

According to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, cyber incidents on federal agencies have involved “increasingly sophisticated attacks…that take advantage of flaws in software code or use exploits.”

“For years the ‘elephant in the room’ for the data networking industry has been that malicious code, unintentional vulnerabilities, and backdoor threats can be hidden deep within the source code at any point along the global supply chain without the manufacturer or end user’s knowledge,” said Kevin Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, LGS Innovations. “With CodeGuardian, we’ve solved this issue without making major changes to the development or manufacturing process, which keeps production costs affordable.”

LGS’ CodeGuardian solution uses proprietary technology and processes to identify and provide for the elimination of vulnerabilities and backdoors in a network component’s source code, create diverse images of the compiled code to further reduce the possibility of a uniformly applied cyberattack to a product line, and securely deliver the software to the end user.

Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise Technology Partnership

LGS is announcing a technology partnership with ALE, operating under the brand Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, to include CodeGuardian in the ALE OmniSwitch® family of products.

The Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise network infrastructure portfolio delivers simplified, resilient and low-latency network architecture with built-in security. The portfolio consists of a full line of wired and wireless LAN switches, access routers, BYOD network services, and network management applications targeted at campus core, access, data centers, and managed services environments. CodeGuardian adds another level of protection against a growing range of vulnerability attacks to the already proven-secure OmniSwitch portfolio.

“Our OmniSwitch product lines have been deployed worldwide to hundreds of thousands of customers, particularly in government agencies, information technology organizations, military operations, academic institutions, and healthcare organizations which require higher levels of security,” said Stephane Robineau, Executive Vice-President, Network Division, ALE. “We take pride in the continued evolution of our portfolio to address our customers’ security concerns, and are excited to work with LGS Innovations to bring the added assurance of CodeGuardian to our offering.”

“LGS has been securing networks for government customers—whose operations are mission critical and in which information security is paramount—for over 75 years. It’s with this experience and reputation that we are confident the OmniSwitch with CodeGuardian will be the most secure switch available,” said Kelly.

Source: LGS Innovations