I originally gave the feature set a 4 rating, because SkyRecon chose to use behavior heuristics without signature analysis when looking for malware. As I wrote in the original review, I don't believe behavior detection alone is sufficient to protect systems. However, after I completed the review, SkyRecon released its version 5.1 of StormShield Security Suite that now contains anti-virus and anti-spyware – all still within a lightweight package and managed through a single security management console. This increases the feature set rating to a 5 as it relieves my concerns about not delivering this security layer. For more information regarding the new release, visit http://skyrecon.com/press.
StormShield provides all the pieces necessary to protect laptops, desktops, and servers in a 7 MB agent. The agent's behavior is controlled via a central management console. Using the console, administrators can implement numerous security contols. The following are just a few:
- Host-based IPS (HIPS) integrated with a personal firewall
- Continuous host-checking, ensuring that the security state of the computer doesn't degrade once it is connected to the network
- Controlling the wireless networks to which a device can connect, including:
- controlling the SSIDs a device can connect to
- preventing prolonged connection to a wi-fi connection seen as insecure
- Data encryption, including:
- full disk encryption
- file encryption based on file type
- sensitive data encryption based on destination of copies or moves
- Controlling which applications users can install or run
- Preventing system connection to rogue wireless access points
Overall, StormShield provides a complete set of fully integrated security controls for enduser and server devices.
