Avaya Helps Enterprises Strengthen Security from the Communications Stack and Beyond

SANTA CLARA, CA--(Marketwired - June 14, 2017) - With the number of cyber-attacks skyrocketing, Avaya announced it has stepped up ongoing efforts to help businesses stay ahead of potential threats that can jeopardize customers, operations and data. In a series of enhancements that extend from professional services to core technologies to managed services, Avaya's comprehensive approach helps public and private sector organizations lower risk and close gaps that may exist due to increased complexity, human error and limited resources.

As attacks get more hostile and complex, cyber pirates are finding treasure troves of access points in today's trends of digital transformation, IoT, big data and hyper-connectivity. The forecast for cybercrime damage costs -- up to $6 trillion annually by 2021 -- coupled with the cybersecurity workforce shortage leads many businesses to look for smarter ways to safeguard critical assets [1].

Enterprise communications is arguably one of the primary targets for hackers looking to unleash attacks or tunnel into sensitive areas. As the number of communications platforms, applications and devices used in business operations grows, the increased risk and complexity makes it extremely challenging to monitor and defend all possible entry points.

Embedding security features into core infrastructure, platforms and applications, developing automated tools to help identify and monitor potential areas of risk and providing focused professional and managed services are all part of Avaya's ongoing efforts to keep customers and their customers safe. Recent enhancements include:

• Automating platform-based security inspection: A new, automated service available through Avaya Security Assurance Services increases security while reducing the manual effort of gathering platform-based information, performing over 140 standard baseline and 100 solution-specific checks per platform. Accessible as either a subscription-based or one-time service, the tool can identify technical, operational and configuration issues, compatibility problems and bugs that could impact system availability.

• Embedding application layer security: Encryption, user authentication and remote access, file hardening, event recording and notification have all been strengthened in Avaya's core communications for enterprises. Avaya embeds U.S. military-grade security at the application layer that meets NIST FIPS 140-2 and DoD/DISA STIGs and UCR requirements, which also lowers risk for enterprises in finance, healthcare, retail vertical industries and other government sectors. In addition, higher capacity, multi-layer hardening and other enhancements in Avaya's session border controller technology provide customers with a complete, highly secure end-to-end solution.

• Network hyper-segmentation thwarts hackers: Avaya Networking's unique three-pronged approach to securing the blurring boundaries of the enterprise uses hyper-segmentation, native stealth, and automatic elasticity to thwart hackers. Hyper-segmentation creates dead ends, preventing uncontrolled access to other parts of the network if one segment of the network is attacked. In addition, the recently announced Avaya Pivot operating system addresses key challenges of distributed computing, allowing more structure and control while lowering risk and complexity.

• Secure managed services for contact center outsourcing: A multi-instance unified communications cloud built in accordance with US government security requirements is available today to US enterprise customers as well as government. The Avaya Secure Delivery Private Cloud service provides documented and implemented security controls for hardware, software, NOCs, Security Operating Center (SOC), applications support and IT personnel.

David Rolling, vice president, Avaya Professional Services, said:

"It's virtually impossible for businesses to predict, monitor and defend against all potential cyber-attacks. They need the assistance that they get from trusted partners who not only provide secure technologies and services today, but make continual improvements to offset risk from new threats yet to come. Avaya is committed to putting the security of our customers first, driving a multi-faceted approach that understands their requirements and limitations, and locking down points of exposure before they can wreak cyber-havoc in the organization."

About Avaya

Avaya enables the mission critical, real-time communication applications of the world's most important operations. As the global leader in delivering superior communications experiences, Avaya provides the most complete portfolio of software and services for contact center and unified communications with integrated, secure networking -- offered on premises, in the cloud, or a hybrid. Today's digital world requires some form of communications enablement, and no other company is better positioned to do this than Avaya. For more information, please visit www.avaya.com.

Certain statements contained in this press release may be forward-looking statements. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "should" or "will" or other similar terminology. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While we believe these are reasonable, such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. These and other important factors may cause our actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. For a list and description of such risks and uncertainties, please refer to Avaya's filings with the SEC that are available at www.sec.gov. Avaya disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

[1] http://www.csoonline.com/article/3153707/security/top-5-cybersecurity-facts-figures-and-statistics-for-2017.html

Follow Avaya on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and the Avaya Connected Blog.