Penta Security

Penta Security Systems, Inc.
펜타시큐리티시스템

Type	Private
Industry	IT Security
Founded	1997
Headquarters	Seoul, South Korea
Area served	Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippine, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, United States (Alphabetical Order)
Key people	Seokwoo Greg Lee (CEO) Seokil Cho (COO) Duk Soo Kim (CTO) Gi Seung Kim (CFO) Jaeson Yoo (SVP of Business Development)
Products	D'Amo (data security) ISign+ (SSO WAPPLES (WAF) Cloudbric (WAF service) My Diamo (open source data security)
Number of employees	200+ (2015)
Website	pentasecurity.com/en/

Penta Security Systems, Inc. (Korean: 펜타시큐리티시스템㈜) is an information technology (IT) security firm headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. Penta Security offers web application security, database security, and single sign-on solutions.^[1]

History

Establishment and growth

Founded in 1997 by Seokwoo Lee,^[2] and headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, Penta Security Systems Inc. is a provider of web application security products and core technology, with more than 2,200 installed customers in government, large enterprise, small and medium business, education, and finance and medical institutions.

Vision

In 2012, Penta Security announced its slogan as “Trust for an Open Society.” CEO/Founder Seokwoo Lee explained “People can trust each other when they’re protected. With Penta Security’s technology, we want to help people communicate and exchange information with each other without any anxiety.”^[3]

Subsidiaries and international expansion

Its Japanese Office, Penta Security Systems K.K., was incorporated in Akasaka, Tokyo, Japan in 2009, and Penta Security System Corporation was found in Texas, the United States in 2014. Together, Penta Security Systems, Inc., Penta Security Systems K.K and Penta Security Corp are focused on the goal of meeting the IT security needs and requirements of organizations from South Korea to Japan (2009), Thailand (2010), Malaysia (2011), Singapore (2010) Taiwan (2011), Australia (2011), Indonesia (2011), Rwanda (2013), the United States (2013)^[4]

Security R&D center

Penta Security has its own R&D center, so that researchers can conduct independent technology studies for the company. The R&D center has over 70 research specialists out of a total 150 employees. Penta Security is also fostering future information security officers by hiring employees from vocational high schools and university collaboration programs for its R&D center.^[5]

Industry recognition

• In 2003, Penta Security was awarded by the South Korean government for completing the e-Government project
• In 2006, D’Amo received the GS (Good Software) Certification from the Telecommunications Technology Association of Korea^[6]
• In 2007, WAPPLES received the GS (Good Software) Certification from the Telecommunications Technology Association of Korea^[7][8]
• In 2008, WAPPLES received CC (Common Criteria) Certification
• In 2008, WAPPLES received Security Compatibility Certification from the South Korean National Intelligence Service
• In 2008, WAPPLES received the Intelligent Product Award from South Korea’s Intelligent Information System Society^[9]
• In 2009, WAPPLES received the Grand Prize in New Software Product from the South Korean Ministry of Knowledge and Economy^[10]
• In 2009, WAPPLES acquired a Certificate of Compliance to PCI-DSS ver. 1.2 Requirement 6.6'^[11]
• In 2009, Penta Security received the "Prime Minister’s Award" in the New Technology Commercialization category from the Korean Ministry of Knowledge and Economy^[12]
• In 2010, WAPPLES received the Grand Prize at the 9th Korea Software Competitiveness Awards^[13]
• In 2010, Seokwoo Lee was honored in the Senior Information Security Professional category at the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC)² Fourth Asia-Pacific Information Security Leadership Achievements Program.^[14]
• In 2010, WAPPLES earned the IPv6 Ready Silver Logo (IPv6)^[15]
• In 2011, Penta Security became a member of the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP)^[16]
• Penta Security's database security solution, D’Amo 2.3, received SAP certification^[17][18]
• In 2012, WAPPLES V-Series became certified as a VMware Ready product.
• In 2012, WAPPLES received international Common Criteria (CC) certification.
• In 2012, Penta Security received the Venture-Startup 2012 Contributor Award.
• In 2012, Penta Security won the "Minister of Knowledge and Economy's Award" for contribution to the information security industries.
• In 2012, Penta Security received ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004 from ISO
• In 2013, ISign+ received the GS (Good Software) Certification from the Telecommunications Technology Association of Korea
• In 2013, WAPPLES received ‘Web Application Firewall of the Year’ from Frost & Sullivan
• In 2013, Penta Security won the “Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning’ Award” in IT Innovation Award
• In 2014, WAPPLES received the “Web Application Firewall of the Year” from Frost & Sullivan for the second year in a row^[19]
• In 2014, WAPPLEs received recognition from the Telecommunication Technology Association

Key People

• Seokwoo Greg Lee (CEO/Founder)
• Seokil Cho (COO)
• Duk Soo Kim (CTO)
• Gi Seung Kim (CFO)
• Jaeson Yoo (SVP of Business Development)
• SangGyoo Sim (Director of Penta IoT Convergence Lab)

Products and Services

Enterprise Solutions

Web Application Firewall (WAF): WAPPLES

WAPPLES, originally launched in 2005, is a web application firewall (Application layer firewall) that operates on a logic analysis based engine.^[20] This web application firewall enables users to protect their web applications from the top ten most critical web application security risks of 2010, as outlined by OWASP.^[21][22] WAPPLES received a Certificate of Compliance to PCI-DSS ver. 1.2 Requirement 6.6^[23] common criteria (CC) certification, and is IPv6 ready.^[24] WAPPLES has obtained patents in Korea for ‘Method for Detecting a Web Application Attack’ (Patent No. 10-2010-0064363) and ‘Method for Detecting a Web Attack Based on a Security Rule’ (Patent No. 10-2009-0077410), and Penta Security has submitted applications for comparable patents in the US, China, and Japan. In January 2012, WAPPLES was granted a Japanese patent for its algorithm-based, application-layer attack detection engine (Patent No. 2012-014667).^[25] Other WAPPLES family products include WAPPLES MS, a centralized management system allowing integrated management of groups of WAPPLES units, and WAPPLES V-Series, a virtual, cloud computing-based equivalent to WAPPLES.^[26] Penta Security publishes Intelligent Customer Support (ICS) Report, a web attack trend analysis report based on statistical information gathered from the logs detected by installed WAPPLES customers. The report is issued every quarter through Penta Security website (www.pentasecurity.com). The report includes statistical information corresponding to the WAPPLES rules, top 10 OWASP vulnerabilities, source countries of web attacks, attack purposes etc.

Data Encryption: D’Amo

First released in 2004, D’Amo is a data encryption software that enables database security via encryption, access control and audit. D’Amo enables high-speed encryption by column, and allows for the separation of database management from security management through two-tiered access control. Penta Security has patented D’Amo’s ‘Index Column Encryption Method.’^[27] Additionally, this product has received the GS (Good Software) Certification from the Telecommunications Technology Association of Korea,^[28] as well as several awards from the South Korean government.^[29] D’Amo holds three patents, two in Korea and one in the United States. The patents held in Korea are Patent No. 10-0698834, ‘Index Column Encryption Method’ and Patent No. 10-0859162, ‘Query processing system and method for database with encrypted columns by query encryption transformation.’ D’Amo holds a patent for the latter in the US as well, under Patent No.2009/0100033.^[30] In August 2011, D’Amo version 2.3 received certification for integration with SAP NetWeaver.^[31][32]

Japanese patent for D'Amo. Obtained in April, 2012

Total user authentication solution : ISign+

ISign+ is a sensible SSO/WAM solution with fast implementation (up to 10 systems in one week) at an economic cost. One-step user authorization make possible for various applications such as groupware, multiple server environments, public web services and so on. And utilizes multiple authentication methods, including public-key infrastructure, biometrics, and mobile OTP. ISign+ are equipped with all the functions of hardware type then building period and the cost is low. In addition, ISign+ products holds Good Software certification from the Telecommunications Technology Association of Korea. With its token-method authentication system, ISign+ addresses the authentication and session management problem, which is the second biggest threat factor among the “Top 10 Web Application Vulnerabilities,” released by OWASP in 2013.

Small & medium business packages

Database security solution for MySQL : MyDiamo

MyDiamo was launched as a database security solution for MySQL in 2013. MyDiamo now also supports MariaDB with its DB encryption and comprehensive security features. The product applies world-class technology, including international standard algorithms such as AES, one-way encryption for password security, partial encryption for DB indexing, masking for credit cards, and more. MyDiamo’s engine-level encryption provides both a high level of security and performance. Drawing upon the technology and experience from Penta’ Security’s encryption solution D’Amo, MyDiamo has been developed as a software for open source databases, first supporting MySQL and then MariaDB. MyDiamo can be downloaded and installed from its website: www.mydiamo.com. The software is free for non-profit personal use. These MyDiamo features include:

• International standard encryption algorithms (AES, Triple DES, etc.)
• Authority access controls
• Column-level encryption privilege controls
• Auditing functionality

Global cloud WAF: Cloudbric

Launched in November 2014, Cloudbric currently protects about 1,200 customers worldwide as a cloud-based WAF service. Cloudbric delivers the similar functionalities to WAPPLES, an appliance type WAF, providing web hacking protection, personal info leakage prevention, DDoS prevention and more. Cloudbric is very easy to use, so that anyone providing web services can use Penta Security’s high-performance WAF service with a simple sign-up and online payments. The service is charged based on the amount of traffic used, so that start-ups and small/medium-sized business, who don’t have enough budget for expensive web application firewall appliances, can use WAF services without substantial enterprise-level costs. Also, people who are inexperienced with web security can install and apply the service by following the step-by-step instruction. The web administrators can monitor web security status intuitively with a graphic user interface that is available 24/365, so that they can respond to any threat in a timely manner.

Milestones

1997

• Penta Security Systems was founded

1998

• ISSAC, Penta Security’s data encryption solution, was introduced^[33]
• Siren, an intrusion detection system, was introduced
• Penta Security Lab was founded

1999

• Penta Security launched the first database security business in South Korea

2001

• Penta Security introduced their ISign EAM solution^[34]

2002

• Penta Security established the PKI project with the South Korean government^[35]

2004

• D’Amo, Penta Security’s database security solution, was introduced^[36]
• Penta Security extended sales of D’Amo to Japan

2005

• WAPPLES, Penta Security’s web application firewall (web application security) product, was introduced

2006

• Penta Security established a local office in Akasaka, Tokyo, Japan
• D’Amo for SQL servers was introduced^[37]

2008

• D’Amo for DB2 was introduced^[38]

2009

• The official Japanese subsidiary branch, Penta Security Systems K.K., was incorporated^[39]

2010

• WAPPLES v. 3.0 received Common Criteria certification^[40]

2011

• WAPPLES V-Series, Penta Security’s cloud computing-based web application firewall (web application security), was introduced^[41]
• PKI solution, ISign Plus, was introduced in June 2011
• Penta Security's database security solution, D’Amo 2.3, received SAP certification^[42][43]

2012

• Penta Security releases MyDiamo, an advanced encryption suite for MySQL.
• Penta Security celebrated its 15th anniversary
• WAPPLES was granted a Japanese patent for its algorithm-based, application-layer attack detection engine.^[44]

2013

• MyDiamo, engine–level encryption solutions, launched for MySQL and MariaDB
• Real-time web application firewall inspection service WMP (WAPPLES Management Portal) start
• Japan’s cloud-type web application firewall service WCSP (WAPPLES Cloud Service Platform) launch

2014

• Korea’s first vehicle communication security technology acquisition (Full implementation of IEEE 1609.2 standard and apply the test best)
• The official United States subsidiary, Penta Security Systems Corporation was incorporated.

Marketing and corporate culture

Active marketing communication

Unlike other B2B companies, Penta Security conducts active marketing communication efforts. Penta Security hires college marketers and holds networking parties for college students. The marketing communications aren’t simply to improving Penta Security’s brand recognition. Their bigger goal is to lead the popularization of information security. Also, Penta Security updates its company blog regularly, so that individuals who are not familiar with information security can gain meaningful insights for their own organizations.

Corporate culture

Penta Security emphasizes a kind of horizontal organizational culture that is rare even in the IT industry. It is also well known for great clubs and programs for its employees. The company has been selected as one of the “company that people want to work for” from 2012 to 2013 in South Korea. Penta Security practices social conscientiousness by holding an annual charity auction, and donating all the profit from the auction to “Ae Ran Won,” a single mothers’ shelter

See also

• IT Security
• Computer security
• Network security
• Economy of South Korea
• List of Korean companies
• List of Korea-related topics

References