There are five reasons that you should choose GFI EndPointSecurity :

> Blocks insider data theft by fully controlling access to portable storage devices like memory cards, CDs, USB drives and more
> Prevents the introduction of viruses and unauthorized software by controlling all endpoint connectable devices such as PDAs, laptops and more
> Allows administrators to exercise group-based control over a wide array of portable devices without affecting authorized users
> Prevents productivity loss by blocking unauthorized uploads of games and other personal files from portable storage devices
> Ships with three protection policies: for laptops, workstations and servers.

GFI EndPointSecurity allows administrators to actively manage user access and log the activity of:

>Media players, including iPods, Creative Zen and others
>USB drives, CompactFlash, memory cards, CDs, floppies & other portable storage devices
>PDAs, BlackBerry handhelds, mobile phone and similar communication devices
>Network cards, laptops and other network connections.

In London, 65% of companies needlessly put themselves at risk because they underestimate the threat posed to their network's security by USB sticks, flash drives, iPods and PDAs, research conducted among 370 UK companies shows.

Although 49% of UK companies surveyed are concerned about data theft, 65% do not consider the use of these devices on their network to be a security threat. On the contrary, 71% are of the opinion that the use of portable storage devices is important or very important to the company's operations.

Nearly half of the respondents said they had no clue how many employees were actually using USB sticks or iPods at the office, and while 37% said it was their company's policy to monitor portable storage devices, only 22% had some form of hardware or software installed to control their usage on the network...

According to a 2005 FBI Computer Crime Survey, 44% of organizations have reported network intrusions from within their own organizations.

Technology analyst Gartner warns that portable devices containing a USB or FireWire connection are a serious new threat to businesses. In their report, Gartner named portable storage devices as a significant security risk in the workplace and advised that these can be used both to download confidential data, and also to introduce a virus into the company network.

WindowSecurity.com, a resource for IT administrators on Windows networks, has given a Gold Award and a rating of 4.5 out of 5 to GFI EndPointSecurity last month.

In a lengthy review of GFI EndPointSecurity, Jakob H. Heidelberg talks about the ever-growing threat posed to networks by portable storage devices. He says that although a written corporate portable storage control policy as part of the companys IT security policy is a must, administrators also need to ensure that the policy is followed by users.

Since Windows Group Policies gives us very limited control over the mentioned devices, the common approach has been anything from physically blocking ports (USB / FireWire, etc.) to a total ban of iPods and similar devices on the network. Its obvious that none of these countermeasures are adequate in most scenarios. We need technological barriers, such as those offered by GFI EndPointSecurity, to protect networks against unauthorized device usage, Heidelberg wrote.