Barracuda Networks Gobbles Up NetContinuum

Barracuda Networks completed its acquisition of Web application firewall maker NetContinuum and is banking on Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance requirements to help drive sales.

Currently, the Payment Card Industry Council, founded by American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB, MasterCard Worldwide, and Visa International, "recommends that merchants ensure that all applications accessible via the Web are protected against known attacks by having all custom application code reviewed for common vulnerabilities or by installing an application firewall. The recommendations become mandatory after June 30, 2008.

"We are finding that a large number of e-commerce providers are not protecting their Web sites, leaving their Web sites vulnerable to attacks that [let intruders gain] unauthorized access, steal customer data, or deface the Web site itself," said Stephen Pao, vice president of product management for Barracuda Networks.

The company said it plans to increase investment in NetContinuum product development. NetContinuum's Web application firewall product was recently tested and certified by ICSA Labs.