Software merger: Zone Alarms and Check Point Software

[Old and In the Way]

Just received this e-mail-

Zone Labs announced its merger with Check Point Software Technologies, the worldwide leader in securing the Internet.

Is this the same Check Point that was involved with FL 2000 voting fiasco? Should this be cause of concern?

[Stephanie]

1. That was ChoicePoint

but that's all I know

More on ChoicePoint: www.gregpalast.com

[Old and In the Way]

2. Thanks...I ought to research more before I post.

Check Point is familiar, though.....I think it might be an Israeli company and they may have developed the 1st internet firewalls.

[karlschneider]

3. Yep, international HQ is in Israel...link

http://www.checkpoint.com/corporate/facts.html

[Snazzy]

4. Choicepoint was the voter disenfranchiser

and that would be scary.

Check Point I don't know much about. It is an Israeli company, which gets me thinking about spooks. I remember during the art student thing and 9/11, it came to light that an Israeli company was somehow involved in running most wire taps--some key technology. So, considering the neocon zeitgeist (and TIA) and an abundance of caution, I'll probably just switch firewalls instead of learning new forms of attractive tin foil haberdashery.

Would like to know more about Check Point though.

[MikeGalos]

5. right

despite Israeli technology being some of the best on the planet and ZoneLabs making one of the best free firewalls around, better to skip them now since they're probably spies secretly working for a neocon think tank and that's what Israelis do...

:tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat:

[Snazzy]

6. Hey don't jump all over me with the tin-foil hats

I said an abundance of caution, and told you why. Or at least hinted at why.

Nor am I especially advocating my position for any to follow.

But yeah, if I were to explore the issue, I am uncomfortable with outsourcing my firewall (paid for too, running Zone Pro) to any foreign domiciled company. And besides being good at software security issues, Israel is famous for having the most effective intelligence apparatus in the world. It is not a big reach to wonder whether that is a possible compromise. It would be kind of stupid for Mossad to not (attempt to) take advantage of such a possibility if they could, wouldn't it?

Not that I have anything worth breaking into, but the climate for massive databases and computer intrusion is certainly ripe and topical. I consider myself a hobbyist in exactly this sort of paranoia.

I can document the art student thing pretty well if you like.

Cheers!

[Snazzy]

7. Apparently I'm late to the tin foil hat party

(Never saw this before either--might add that they debunk pretty well):

Forbes:

Four years go virtually unmentioned in the official biography of Israeli billionaire Shwed. This much information can be cobbled together: In 1986 Shwed, just 18 years old, joined the supersecret electronic intelligence arm of the Israeli Defense Forces called Unit 8200. His job most likely was to string together military computer networks in a way that would allow some users access to confidential materials while denying access to others. When he left the service in 1990, Shwed walked off with the idea that would define his career and make him one of the youngest members of FORBES' billionaires list.

...


In 1994 Shwed got his $400,000 in venture capital, the only funding the trio ever needed, from BRM Technologies, an Israeli antivirus software firm. Shwed hired David J. Blumberg, a San Francisco venture capitalist, to drum up U.S. business. It wasn't easy to land customers in 1994, when the world had only 3,000 Web sites. Only large companies had Internet connections and security was not a top priority. And, as an Israeli company, Check Point was perceived as too risky. There were even rumors that its firewall was actually a Mossad tool for keeping tabs on foes. When Nacht visited the National Security Agency for a demonstration, he was forced to wait in the parking lot while Blumberg delivered the pitch.

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2002/0318/102_print.html

==========

Their 1997 response:

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. would like to assure its customers, security experts, and others that there is no, and never has been, an "agreement" or relationship between Check Point Software and the Mossad, or any other branch of the Israeli government or military, to create a "back door" into Check Point products.

These are false and malicious rumors that have been circulating since Check Point became successful, specifically targeted at damaging the company, and they are always from "anonymous sources." Check Point takes these rumors seriously, and if anyone has information on the source/s of these rumors, we would be very interested in hearing from you, so that we can take appropriate action.


Check Point FireWall-1 is the most widely installed network security solution in the world and no customer has ever reported a security breach of this nature. Check Point FireWall-1's customer list includes accounts with the highest level of security consciousness such as U.S. national and foreign governments, the world's leading financial institutions, telcos and ISPs. All Check Point FireWall-1 customers benefit from the product's patented Stateful Inspection technology ensuring the highest level of enterprise security available today.


Emily Cohen, Director of Corporate Communications Check Point Software Technologies, Inc. 400 Seaport Court, Suite 105 Redwood City, CA 94063


http://www.netsys.com/firewalls/firewalls-9707/0223.html