Covad Enhances Network Protection Against Denial of Service and Bot and Worm Attacks

  
    
  
  
    
      Covad Communications Group Inc., (AMEX:DVW), a leading national provider 
      of integrated voice and data communications, today announced that it has 
      deployed Arbor Network’s Peakflow® 
      SP software solution. This network enhancement is designed to protect 
      Covad’s network against distributed denial of 
      service (DDoS) attacks, worms, and other network vulnerabilities and 
      routing instabilities. The latter includes hacker-controlled botnets 
      that can be used to attack a Website or network on command. This network 
      enhancement helps to protect all of Covad’s 
      customers at no additional cost to them. In addition to deploying the 
      software solution, Covad also serves as an active member of the 
      Fingerprint Sharing Alliance (FSA), a global coalition of Arbor’s 
      telecommunications customers that have joined together to prevent cyber 
      attacks that cross service provider and national boundaries.
    
    
      “Continuing to ensure the integrity of our 
      nationwide network is of the utmost importance as we deliver innovative 
      and outstanding services to our customers,” 
      said Dr. Ron Marquardt, chief technology officer for Covad. “This 
      network enhancement and membership in the FSA improves our traffic 
      monitoring capability and has enabled Covad to save customers and 
      partners thousands of dollars in losses due to security incidents.”
    
    
      “Given the global nature of distributed 
      denial of service attacks, it is critical for service providers to work 
      together and collaborate in order to stop these attacks as close to the 
      source as possible,” said Paul Morville, 
      Arbor Networks vice president of product management. “Service 
      providers are increasingly interconnected and the Fingerprint Sharing 
      Alliance has put in place an automated framework that dramatically 
      speeds time to resolution.”
    
    
      Denial of Service and bot and worm attacks are among the most costly 
      security attacks suffered by businesses and other organizations that 
      rely on IP communications. The 2007 Computer Crime and Security Survey 
      released by the Computer Security Institute reported the following:
    
    
      
        25 percent of respondents reported a denial of service attack, with 
        total respondent losses approaching $2.9 million;
      
      
        21 percent of respondents reported a Bot attack, with total respondent 
        losses approaching $2.9 million;
      
      
        52 percent of respondents reported a virus attack (including worm 
        attacks), with total respondent losses of approximately $8.4 million.
      
    
    
      Covad deployed Arbor's Peakflow SP platform solution to analyze its 
      transit, peering and routing traffic. Arbor's Peakflow SP will also 
      assist in proactively detecting, tracing and mitigating network-wide 
      anomalies and attacks. These solutions will help Covad resolve DoS 
      attacks and worms before they affect its network. This proactive 
      response translates to tangible customer benefits including higher 
      network availability and reduced exposure to common Internet threats.
    
    
      As a member of the FSA, Covad benefits from the sharing of cyber attack 
      profiles, or “fingerprints”, 
      to stop attacks more quickly and closer to the source. The FSA is the 
      first effort in which telecommunications companies have been able to 
      share attack profiles automatically, allowing providers to consistently 
      protect one another and their customers from security threats. With the 
      formation of the FSA, a formerly laborious and tedious process has been 
      replaced with an efficient and automated process, and a larger community 
      can be engaged to solve significant threats to the Internet.
    
    
      For more detail on how Covad is leveraging Arbor Networks’ 
      technology in tandem with the Fingerprint Sharing Alliance (FSA), please 
      visit Arbor Networks’ website to read the Solution 
      Brief Case Study or to download the podcast 
      discussion with Dr. Marquardt.
    
    
      In addition to these network and industry initiatives Covad also 
      provides enhanced security options directly to its customers. Covad 
      previously announced that is has entered into an agreement that allows 
      Covad to bundle McAfee® Total Protection for 
      Small Business services with Covad’s 
      award-winning broadband products to provide small business customers 
      with a simple, affordable solution to meet their security needs. For 
      more information, visit www.covad.com/services/business_essentials/ 
      or call 1-888-GO-COVAD.
    
    
      About Covad
    
    
      Covad is a leading nationwide provider of integrated voice and data 
      communications. The company offers DSL, Voice Over IP, T1, broadband 
      wireless, Web hosting, managed security, IP and dial-up, and bundled 
      voice and data services directly through Covad's network and through 
      Internet Service Providers, value-added resellers, telecommunications 
      carriers and affinity groups to small and medium-sized businesses and 
      home users. Covad broadband services are currently available across the 
      nation in 44 states and 235 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and 
      can be purchased by more than 57 million homes and businesses, which 
      represent over 50 percent of all US homes and businesses. Corporate 
      headquarters is located at 110 Rio Robles San Jose, CA 95134. Telephone: 
      1-888-GO-COVAD. Web Site: www.covad.com.
    
    
      Safe Harbor Statement under the 
      Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:
    
    
      The foregoing contains "forward-looking statements" which are based on 
      management's current information and beliefs as well as on a number of 
      assumptions concerning future events made by management. Examples of 
      forward-looking statements include Covad’s 
      ability to protect its network from malicious attacks, viruses, worms 
      and bots, as well as Covad’s ability to 
      successfully resell McAfee products. Readers are cautioned not to put 
      undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are not a 
      guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties 
      and other factors, many of which are outside Covad's control that could 
      cause actual results to differ materially from such statements. These 
      risk factors include our ability to rapidly expand and deploy these 
      services, changes in Granite’s strategy and 
      changes in technologies, among other risks. For a more detailed 
      description of the risk factors that could cause such a difference, 
      please see Covad's 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K and other filings with the Securities 
      and Exchange Commission. Covad disclaims any intention or obligation to 
      update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of 
      new information, future events or otherwise.