24th August 2003

BENIGN REMOVES THE STING OF EMAIL NASTIES

Worms such as the recent SoBig and other email nasties don’t stand a chance with the release of Benign, the new e-mail management solution from Firetrust Limited (www.firetrust.com). Benign offers PC users the ultimate defence against all malicious and unwanted e-mail by making them impotent.

Firetrust created the internationally popular anti-spam product MailWasher. Benign provides even greater email safety and security by breaking down incoming e-mail and re-writing it in such a way that it is free from any malicious code, safe to download and properly presented.

Potentially malicious e-mail attachments can be removed while other harmful content such as e-mail worms, html, scripts and web bugs are removed or neutralised. Future threats are also prevented from infecting a system, passing on any likely infection or compromising an individual’s security.

Firetrust Chief Executive Nick Bolton says the Benign software is compatible with and complementary to other major anti-virus software products and does not require regular updating to be effective. “Anyone who has ever been hit by a mass-mailing virus has experienced the embarrassment, cost and damage to reputation from passing a virus to business contacts, family and friends. Also at risk is the potential spreading of confidential information due to the virus.”

With 95% of all viruses, worms, scripts, web bugs and other nasties sent via e-mail, users are constantly at risk. Malicious content can modify systems, destroy data, alter settings and even steal a user’s identity, which can end up being very costly. For example, the love bug virus alone caused an estimated $US8.7 billion worth of damage to the US economy.

Nick Bolton says that Benign does not replace current anti-virus software, but offers protection not currently available. For instance, if a new mass-mailing virus is sent to the user’s e-mail address, Benign removes vulnerabilities within the e-mail so the virus can’t replicate itself and mail itself out. “Benign is an essential addition to virus protection because it combats the increasing use of clever ‘tactics’ by virus writers to trick computer users into opening infected e-mails.”

At present Benign is available on stand-alone PCs and laptops. An enterprise version of Benign will be released later this year for use in server networks.

System Requirements And AvailabilityBenign is available for purchase and download through the Firetrust website: www.firetrust.com. Benign is priced at $US34.95 for a single user-license with discounts available for volume licensing. A free 30-day trial version can also be downloaded from the site. Benign works with Microsoft Windows 98, Me, NT, 2000 and XP operating systems. It is compatible with all pop3 e-mail programs, including, but not limited to Microsoft Outlook™ and Outlook Express™, Netscape™ and Eudora™.

About Firetrust Limited Firetrust was established in 2001 to provide world-class e-mail security products for business and home users. Firetrust provide solutions across the spectrum of inbox protection, including MailWasher® Pro for unsolicited commercial e-mail (spam) and Benign® to neutralise harmful e-mail which can contain viruses, worms, scripts and web bugs.

MailWasher® and Benign® are registered trademarks of Firetrust Limited.

- Christchurch, New Zealand.