How Geisel Software Powered Carbon Black’s Next-Gen Linux Security Solution

Carbon Black Security Software

Carbon Black is the leader in Next-Generation Endpoint Security (NGES). Their endpoint security software detects malicious behavior and prevents malicious files from attacking organizations such as the U.S. government and at least 30 Fortune 100 firms.

Challenge

Carbon Black, one of the world’s leading security firms, has made a significant impact in the security industry with its groundbreaking application whitelisting technology. This innovation has redefined standards and set new benchmarks for security solutions worldwide. But according to Carbon Black’s chief architect and director of engineering, Chris Lord, the company needed someone to manage a team that would evaluate, prototype and develop kernel interception techniques for the Linux platform. In addition to meshing with the existing kernel architecture, these interception mechanisms had to meet reliability, compatibility, performance, and commercialization requirements. They hired Geisel Software to build the Linux version of their white-hot selling Windows application from scratch.

Solution

Geisel Software wrote their initial Linux product for them and regularly consults with them regarding the performance and security of the application. The application itself is a Linux security module that winds itself into the Linux kernel to give it an added layer of protection against all kinds of malicious threats. This was a highly-invasive Linux kernel project that spanned everything from module loading, to file compilation, linking, and execution, to memory mapping and even compiling C++ into the Linux kernel itself.

Result

According to Lord, Geisel’s leadership, expertise and professionalism was instrumental in bootstrapping the development of Carbon Black’s Linux offering. Eight months after the start of the project, Geisel’s oversight has played a big role in the final result: today, all of their Linux users enjoy safer, more secure software.

Lord had nothing but great things to say about Geisel, who is currently leading a new project with Carbon Black. Looking back on the project, Lord says: “Brian’s approach is truly one of partnership. He works with you to understand the problem and solution, and once on the job, he works with you as part of the team until it’s solved. The best recommendation? When I had other work – this time in the Web services space – Geisel Software was the one I called.”