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Investors back attack on hackers
Wednesday, August 23, 2000
By JOHN COOK
Three University of Washington computer science professors and a Ph.D. candidate have raised $3 million in start-up capital for a new company that plans to stop computer hackers in their tracks.
Seattle-based Asta Networks -- which is developing technology to prevent denial-of-service attacks on computer networks -- was formed in April by faculty members Tom Anderson, David Wetherall and Daniel Weld. Stefan Savage, a Ph.D. candidate who has authored 15 research reports on the subject, is chief scientist at the company.
Denial-of-service attacks, which cause a computer network to be flooded with unwanted Internet traffic, have paralyzed Web sites such as Amazon.com, eBay and Yahoo this year. In April, a 15-year-old Canadian boy nicknamed "Mafiaboy" was arrested for launching such an attack against CNN's Internet site, causing the online news organization to shut down for four hours.
"The attackers have the real advantage in this space," said Savage, who along with two of the professors has taken a leave of absence to pursue the company. "It is really difficult to distinguish an attacker from a customer and then do the stuff to stop the attackers."
Although hacker attacks occur daily at large Internet companies, Savage said many corporations refuse to publicize the attacks. But he said it is a big problem.
According to Information Week, hacker attacks will cost the world economy about $1.6 trillion this year.
To jump-start the new project, Asta Networks has raised $3 million from Arch Venture Partners and Madrona Venture Group. It has also named Alex Knight, managing director of Arch, Greg Gottesman, managing director at Madrona and Daniel Weld, co-founder of AdRelevance, Nimble Technology and NetBot, to its board of directors.
The company hopes to offer its first product this fall, targeting Internet service providers and large Web sites. Savage refused to disclose specific details about the technology, saying only that it is easier to stop denial-of-service attacks when they are dealt with near the origin of the attack. The company employs just under 20 employees at its headquarters on Eastlake Avenue.
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