Mobile Active Defense launches GeoLocation-based firewall and content filtering for iPhones and smart phones

Mobile Active Defense, LLC (M.A.D.) has announced the release of its patent-pending mobile firewall and contents filtering mechanisms that enforce controls based upon the physical location of the mobile device.

The award-winning Mobile Enterprise Compliance and Security Server (MECS) provides stringent and comprehensive access, security and compliance enforcement mechanisms to echo fixed enterprise policies.

With the addition of GeoLocation controls, Mobile Active Defense (M.A.D.) offers organizations around the world a new range of previously unavailable flexibility over the content filtering and access rights of iPhones, iPads, smart phones and tablet devices.

Government and private organizations face an increasing risk to their smart phones and tablet devices as employees travel around the globe. Often the cultural requirements of certain countries or regions differ radically. For example, Saudi Arabia and many other countries deem any adult content to be extremely offensive. With MECS' GeoLocation, the enforcement policies automatically change when arriving in Saudi Arabia, or any other location that has similar cultural sensitivities.

Rob Smith, co-founder and chief technology officer of M.A.D., remembers a meeting in which a U.S. Government agency had a specific request. "They essentially asked us to have a virtually unlimited number of firewalls for each iPhone and iPad, so they could enforce different security policies depending upon the physical location of the user's device," said Smith.

Smith subsequently met with Middle East representatives who had similar requests for regional location controls. "I showed them Playboy.com on my iPad with no Geo-enforced controls,” Smith added. “Then, I turned GEO controls on and Playboy and other sites returned a blank page. Needless to say, this is exactly what they were looking for."

A company's policies might dictate another set of policies for France or China or any other region of the world, said a press lease issued by M.A.D. on Jan. 20.

"GeoLocation-based rules allow you to consider location when creating security policy,” said Adam Meyers , SRA International's director of cyber security intelligence. “I'm not aware of any other product that considers location and mobile security at the same time, which seems pretty intuitive. Smart phones are mobile; threats change in different locations."

The applications for M.A.D.'s GeoLocation enforcement seem endless, said the press release. Healthcare companies require different rules if doctors are at a medical facility or when traveling. Some companies need to restrict access to corporate assets when their employees are traveling to places where industrial espionage is a concern.

Winn Schwartau, Chairman of the Board of M.A.D., said, "I am astounded daily with how creative our customers can be. We work with them to apply a range of mobile security solutions for their needs that have to adapt to their specific situations. It's incredibly exciting to be forging such new territories and applying the vast flexibility M.A.D. offers to new levels of security and compliance."

MECS' GeoLocation contains three different components: the real-time map, the geo-location rule-based option and reporting. The GEO functions of M.A.D.'s MECS are also a major cost-saver for organizations. When employees travel, data communications costs can skyrocket. By restricting access to certain capabilities, based upon location, MECS pays for itself in just one overseas trip.