Allows web-based centralized management of Linux servers from a single administrator's console.

Trusted Computer Solutions, Inc., a provider of security applications  that run on the Linux operating system, today announced the general availability of Security Blanket 2.0 Enterprise Edition, an automated system lock down and security management tool for Linux operating systems. It states that this enterprise solution enables systems administrators to automatically configure and enhance the security of their Linux operating platforms by simplifying the 'hardening' process that must be undertaken on a regular basis to meet security compliance requirements.

The company states that with the release of the Enterprise Edition, users now have the ability to manage all local and remote Linux servers from a centralized management console. It adds that administrators have access to the console via a Web-based interface which is ideal for organizations that need to remotely manage their enterprise-wide Linux servers. It declares that Security Blanket Enterprise supports Red Hat Enterprise Linux versions 4 and 5, CentOS versions 4 and 5, and Oracle Enterprise Linux, versions 4 and 5 and runs on SELinux, enforcing the default targeted policy provided with the operating system.

"Prior to the availability of Security Blanket Enterprise Edition, the product was a standalone solution that was installed on each server that required lockdown; offering a great solution for organizations that have a small number of Linux servers," said Ed Hammersla, Chief Operating Officer for Trusted Computer Solutions. "For organizations with larger numbers of Linux servers, it is sometimes impractical to manage each server individually. The Enterprise version enables administrators to easily group Linux servers, associate a lockdown profile with a group of servers, scan all servers within a group to determine compliancy, and configure the server operating systems to the lockdown level of the chosen profile."

"According to a recent Forrester online survey of security managers, they are all over the map when it comes to meeting their server operating system security goals…What separates successful server OS security managers who meet their goals from the rest? Monitoring and configuration tools and consistent, well-defined security processes." Forrester added, "Although server hardening is a well-established practice, only [45 percent] of interviewees harden all of their servers and [26 percent] left some Internet-facing servers unhardened. Why? Perhaps because they feel they can't spare the time - today, [53 percent] of systems administrators harden their servers manually."