Google launches online security tools

Google has launched a range of web-based security applications for email filtering, encryption and archiving.

The Google software as a service (SaaS) security tech has been developed through Postini, the security company it acquired last July for $625m.

Security from A to Z

Click on the links below to find out more...

A is for Antivirus
B is for Botnets
C is for CMA
D is for DDoS
E is for Extradition
F is for Federated identity
G is for Google
H is for Hackers
I is for IM
J is for Jaschan (Sven)
K is for Kids
L is for Love Bug
M is for Microsoft
N is for Neologisms
O is for Orange
P is for Passwords
Q is for Questions
R is for Rootkits
S is for Spyware
T is for Two-factor authentication
U is for USB sticks/devices
V is for Virus variants
W is for Wi-fi
X is for OS X
Y is for You
Z is for Zero-day

The basic version of the tech - called Google Message Filtering - costs £1.50 per user per year and includes Postini's filtering system to block inbound spam and malware.

The next version up is Google Message Security, which costs slightly more at £6 per user, but adds virus detection and outbound email processing along with content policy management.

The cost rises to £12.50 per user for the top version - Google Message Discovery - which also includes a year's worth of message data archiving, retention and search.

Dave Armstrong, European Google product and marketing manager, told silicon.com: "This ties in very much to the rapid integration of the Postini products and people into the Google Enterprise mould. We're building on our initial acquisition of Postini. What we're doing we're bringing these security and compliance offerings to as wide an audience as possible by simplifying the way in which they're purchased."

The tech works with any email system, including Lotus Notes, Microsoft Exchange and Novell Groupwise.

Armstrong explained that with an existing network of 14 million users using Google and Postini tech, updates can be handled much more efficiently.

He said: "Not only are we able to be more reactive to threats, and make them available across all of our employees, but also we're able to do that instantaneously, whereas existing internal infrastructures may struggle to do that."

Google is billing the tech as something that can also help companies respond to compliance issues - for example, filtering outbound messages to avoid sensitive information leaving corporate firewalls.

But Armstrong admitted these applications aren't enough on their own. He said: "I think it will always complement existing technologies."