Shavlik Technologies announced an "agentless" patch management solution designed for previously unprotected Windows XP Embedded (XPe) devices, including kiosks, ATM-styled devices, slot machines, gas pumps, and more. NetChk Protect, version 7, also includes anti-virus and anti-spyware protection, according to the company.

Shavlik notes that with XPe, many of the components and services that are used in the full version of Windows XP have been disabled or are unavailable. In addition, XPe devices often have limited disk space. As a result, an agent-based approach to patching such machines "often doesn't work," in the company's words.

NetChk Protect, now in version 7, is said to combine patch management, active protection, anti-virus, and anti-spyware functionality. The program is touted as being able to protect "every machine in your enterprise," even virtual machines that may be offline at the time of a scan.

Unlike some competitors, which require software agents to be installed on every client, NetChk Protect operates in either agent or agentless modes, says Shavlik. Hence, XPe devices can potentially be protected just as readily as other Windows machines, the company claims.

NetChk Protect in reporting mode

According to the company, the scan status for both agentless and agented operations may be viewed via a single, centralized dashboard (above). Meanwhile, NetChk Protect can generate daily, weekly, or monthly reports on the latest threats and vulnerabilities, Shavlik says.

OUR VERDICT: This product could help stamp out the curse of unpatched embedded devices

It's said NetChk Protect scans all Microsoft-based and third party programs running on the machines in a network, assessing the current patch status of those machines and deploying any missing patches -- immediately, if desired. The program also provides a custom patch editor, which "enables you to patch virtually any Windows program on your network."

Nancee Melby, director, product marketing for Shavlik, stated, "The number of XPe devices used by consumers and individuals every single day that may have never been patched is staggering. The agent-based approach is impractical for patching the vast majority of these devices, so they simply remain unpatched and an entry point for hackers. Shavlik's agentless approach eliminates the obstacles to patching Windows XPe devices and leaves no footprint other than the patches themselves."

Melby added, "POS devices have traditionally received little attention because an attack on a single system would yield little data; they were viewed as insignificant. But breaches at Hannaford Brothers and Dave & Buster’s shattered the illusion that these devices are not a reason for concern."

Further information

According to Shavlik, NetChk Protect costs $40 per workstation and $80 per server. An extensive list of supported Windows versions and software applications may be found here.

Further information and a fully functional trial version is available from the company's website, here.

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Related stories:

• What is HORM and how can you use it?
• Choosing a Windows OS for point-of-service (POS) device applications
• Managing Windows Embedded patches
• Protecting Windows-based kiosks from user tampering
• Installing XP Embedded optional updates without rebuilding images
• Anti-malware defends Windows XP Embedded

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