Secure Sockets Layer remote access vendor Neoteris recently issued software that probes remote machines to make sure they are secure enough to carry sessions safely with corporate networks.

Neoteris has added a functionality to Version 3.3 of its Instant Virtual Extranet (IVE) gear that attempts to prevent critical corporate data from falling into the wrong hands as well as to protect the corporate network from infected remote machines.

Cache Cleaner is a feature that wipes out data that might have been downloaded to a remote computer during the course of a remote access session. This is to prevent later users of the machines from gaining unauthorized access to the data. This could be a particular problem at public Internet access machines.

Neoteris has also added checks for malicious activity, such as that carried out by Trojan horses and worms, to its Host Checker feature that scans remote computers to see whether firewalls and anti-virus software have been installed and updated. Neoteris' software can deny access to machines it has detected to be compromised by malicious activity.

The IVE software also blocks headers and cookies from data being downloaded from corporate sites to prevent them from being used to plan attacks on the network. All HTML traffic is formatted so it cannot be cached, again to ensure that no traces of sessions remain on the remote machines.

Some of these features already exist on other vendors' equipment in one form or another. All are part of a rapidly growing set of functionality that are becoming the base set of features SSL remote access gear must have. They are features potential customers should be aware of and look for when shopping for this type of equipment.

Tim Greene is senior editor at Network World.