Company�s New AIF Technology Attacks Image Spam, the Latest Covert
Spamming Technique to Bypass Existing Email Security Filters
Tumbleweed� Communications Corp. (NASDAQ:TMWD), providers of
innovative messaging security solutions, today introduced its
Adaptive Image Filtering (AIF) technology, specifically designed to
combat the ever-increasing amount of image spam. In recent tests,
Tumbleweed�s Message Protection Lab has found as much as 36 percent
of all spam was image-based. Yet, it is not consistently blocked
using yesterday�s signature and reputation-based technologies.
�Spammers are relentless at adapting their methods to circumvent
existing spam filters. The latest trick has been to use images
instead of text and randomize graphics to avoid signature
detection,� said Dr. Taher Elgamal, Chief Technology Officer at
Tumbleweed. �To keep up with their changing tactics, vendors must
adapt and create new ways to block this time and resource draining
nuisance.� Existing email security technologies such as reputation
filters that purport to stop image spam have not been effective.
Adapting their tactics, spammers have hijacked legitimate computers
to evade reputation filters or randomized image spam graphics with
dots, changing sizes, varying colors, and multiple animated
graphics. These techniques enable spam to slip past current
filters, creating an enormous new wave of spam and malicious
messages. Tumbleweed�s new AIF technology analyzes email images
using an image-processing technique called a wavelet transform.
This technique reduces the image to a mathematical formula that
represents the structure of the image, but allows for variation, a
technique known as �fuzzy matching.� This image processing takes
into account the image-randomizing practices that spammers rely on
to circumvent email filters. This approach to identifying image
spam can be likened to how the human eye quickly perceives
similarities in images, while the exact size, colors, and
proportions may vary. When a new image spam is filtered by
Tumbleweed�s MailGate appliance, it goes through the same
mathematical process, and the signature of the wavelet transform is
compared to existing image spam signatures, blocking spam with
similar but slightly varying graphics. �Image based spam is
difficult to detect if you are relying on traditional products that
have basic email security functions,� said Brian Burke, research
manager at IDC. �As spam continues to become more complex,
organizations will need to implement adaptive email security
solutions that protect against a variety of threats that spammers
use to bypass existing technologies.� Tumbleweed�s Message
Protection Lab� has analyzed thousands of messages and continues to
build its database of image-spam for pattern matching. In addition
to AIF, Tumbleweed�s Recurrent Pattern Detection (RPD)� system
spots outbreaks of new image spam coming from multiple sources
around the world. Together, these two techniques provide an
effective defense against new spam methods while maintaining high
levels of accuracy. About the Tumbleweed MailGate Product Suite The
Tumbleweed MailGate� Product Suite is a family of products for
protecting, filtering and monitoring corporate email. These
best-in-breed products enable businesses to manage inbound and
outbound traffic, block threats, encrypt messages and optimize
network performance. MailGate products include MailGate Appliance�,
MailGate Email Firewall� software and MailGate Secure Messenger�
software, each optimized for specific environments and security
challenges. MailGate Appliance: A powerful and easy-to-deploy
hardened Linux appliance, providing integrated network edge
defense, anti-spam, anti-virus, content filtering, policy
management, and outbound encryption. MailGate Email Firewall: A
comprehensive email security software offering, with functionality
ranging from inbound threat prevention to outbound content
filtering, monitoring and encryption. MailGate Secure Messenger: A
policy-based, secure message delivery solution that inspects
incoming and outgoing mail and dynamically applies user-defined
encryption and routing preferences. SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT
Tumbleweed cautions that forward-looking statements contained in
this press release are based on current plans and expectations as
of the date of this press release, and that a number of factors
could cause the actual results to differ materially from the
guidance given at this time. These factors are described in the
Safe Harbor statement below. Except for the historical information
contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release may
constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those projected, particularly with respect to the
functionality and performance of Tumbleweed�s adaptive image
filtering technology. In some cases, forward-looking statements can
be identified by terminology such as �may,� �will,� �should,�
�potential,� �continue,� �expects,� �anticipates,� �intends,�
�plans,� �believes,� �estimates,� and similar expressions. For
further cautions about the risks of investing in Tumbleweed, we
refer you to the documents Tumbleweed files from time to time with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly Tumbleweed�s
Form 10-K filed March 16, 2006 and Form 10-Q filed August 8, 2006.
Tumbleweed assumes no obligation to update information contained in
this press release. Although this release may remain available on
Tumbleweed�s website or elsewhere, its continued availability does
not indicate that Tumbleweed is reaffirming or confirming any of
the information contained herein. About Tumbleweed Tumbleweed
provides world-class innovative messaging security solutions for
organizations of all sizes. Organizations rely on Tumbleweed's
solutions to securely manage their Internet communications,
spanning email management to file transfers. Tumbleweed has more
than 2,300 customers worldwide, representing industries in Finance,
Healthcare, and the U.S. Government. The world�s most security
conscious organizations rely upon Tumbleweed technology including
Bank of America Securities, JP Morgan Chase & Co., the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Department of Defense.
Our award-winning products build on thirteen years of R&D and
25 security patents in the U.S. alone � many of which are licensed
by other security vendors,
http://www.tumbleweed.com/company/patents/patent_licenses.html. For
more information, visit www.tumbleweed.com. Tumbleweed, the Arrows
logo, MailGate, MailGate Appliance, MailGate Email Firewall,
MailGate Secure Messenger, SecureTransport and Validation Authority
are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Tumbleweed
Communications Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Company's New AIF Technology Attacks Image Spam, the Latest Covert
Spamming Technique to Bypass Existing Email Security Filters
Tumbleweed(R) Communications Corp. (NASDAQ:TMWD), providers of
innovative messaging security solutions, today introduced its
Adaptive Image Filtering (AIF) technology, specifically designed to
combat the ever-increasing amount of image spam. In recent tests,
Tumbleweed's Message Protection Lab has found as much as 36 percent
of all spam was image-based. Yet, it is not consistently blocked
using yesterday's signature and reputation-based technologies.
"Spammers are relentless at adapting their methods to circumvent
existing spam filters. The latest trick has been to use images
instead of text and randomize graphics to avoid signature
detection," said Dr. Taher Elgamal, Chief Technology Officer at
Tumbleweed. "To keep up with their changing tactics, vendors must
adapt and create new ways to block this time and resource draining
nuisance." Existing email security technologies such as reputation
filters that purport to stop image spam have not been effective.
Adapting their tactics, spammers have hijacked legitimate computers
to evade reputation filters or randomized image spam graphics with
dots, changing sizes, varying colors, and multiple animated
graphics. These techniques enable spam to slip past current
filters, creating an enormous new wave of spam and malicious
messages. Tumbleweed's new AIF technology analyzes email images
using an image-processing technique called a wavelet transform.
This technique reduces the image to a mathematical formula that
represents the structure of the image, but allows for variation, a
technique known as "fuzzy matching." This image processing takes
into account the image-randomizing practices that spammers rely on
to circumvent email filters. This approach to identifying image
spam can be likened to how the human eye quickly perceives
similarities in images, while the exact size, colors, and
proportions may vary. When a new image spam is filtered by
Tumbleweed's MailGate appliance, it goes through the same
mathematical process, and the signature of the wavelet transform is
compared to existing image spam signatures, blocking spam with
similar but slightly varying graphics. "Image based spam is
difficult to detect if you are relying on traditional products that
have basic email security functions," said Brian Burke, research
manager at IDC. "As spam continues to become more complex,
organizations will need to implement adaptive email security
solutions that protect against a variety of threats that spammers
use to bypass existing technologies." Tumbleweed's Message
Protection Lab(TM) has analyzed thousands of messages and continues
to build its database of image-spam for pattern matching. In
addition to AIF, Tumbleweed's Recurrent Pattern Detection (RPD)(TM)
system spots outbreaks of new image spam coming from multiple
sources around the world. Together, these two techniques provide an
effective defense against new spam methods while maintaining high
levels of accuracy. About the Tumbleweed MailGate Product Suite The
Tumbleweed MailGate(R) Product Suite is a family of products for
protecting, filtering and monitoring corporate email. These
best-in-breed products enable businesses to manage inbound and
outbound traffic, block threats, encrypt messages and optimize
network performance. MailGate products include MailGate
Appliance(TM), MailGate Email Firewall(TM) software and MailGate
Secure Messenger(TM) software, each optimized for specific
environments and security challenges. -- MailGate Appliance: A
powerful and easy-to-deploy hardened Linux appliance, providing
integrated network edge defense, anti-spam, anti-virus, content
filtering, policy management, and outbound encryption. -- MailGate
Email Firewall: A comprehensive email security software offering,
with functionality ranging from inbound threat prevention to
outbound content filtering, monitoring and encryption. -- MailGate
Secure Messenger: A policy-based, secure message delivery solution
that inspects incoming and outgoing mail and dynamically applies
user-defined encryption and routing preferences. SAFE HARBOR
STATEMENT Tumbleweed cautions that forward-looking statements
contained in this press release are based on current plans and
expectations as of the date of this press release, and that a
number of factors could cause the actual results to differ
materially from the guidance given at this time. These factors are
described in the Safe Harbor statement below. Except for the
historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in
this press release may constitute forward-looking statements that
involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those projected, particularly with respect
to the functionality and performance of Tumbleweed's adaptive image
filtering technology. In some cases, forward-looking statements can
be identified by terminology such as "may," "will," "should,"
"potential," "continue," "expects," "anticipates," "intends,"
"plans," "believes," "estimates," and similar expressions. For
further cautions about the risks of investing in Tumbleweed, we
refer you to the documents Tumbleweed files from time to time with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly Tumbleweed's
Form 10-K filed March 16, 2006 and Form 10-Q filed August 8, 2006.
Tumbleweed assumes no obligation to update information contained in
this press release. Although this release may remain available on
Tumbleweed's website or elsewhere, its continued availability does
not indicate that Tumbleweed is reaffirming or confirming any of
the information contained herein. About Tumbleweed Tumbleweed
provides world-class innovative messaging security solutions for
organizations of all sizes. Organizations rely on Tumbleweed's
solutions to securely manage their Internet communications,
spanning email management to file transfers. Tumbleweed has more
than 2,300 customers worldwide, representing industries in Finance,
Healthcare, and the U.S. Government. The world's most security
conscious organizations rely upon Tumbleweed technology including
Bank of America Securities, JP Morgan Chase & Co., the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Department of Defense.
Our award-winning products build on thirteen years of R&D and
25 security patents in the U.S. alone - many of which are licensed
by other security vendors,
http://www.tumbleweed.com/company/patents/patent_licenses.html. For
more information, visit www.tumbleweed.com. Tumbleweed, the Arrows
logo, MailGate, MailGate Appliance, MailGate Email Firewall,
MailGate Secure Messenger, SecureTransport and Validation Authority
are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Tumbleweed
Communications Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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