Comodo Group

Comodo Group, Inc.

Type	Private
Industry	Computer security internet security
Founded	United Kingdom (1998)[1]
Headquarters	1255 Broad Street, Clifton, New Jersey, United States
Key people	Melih Abdulhayoğlu (President and CEO)
Products	SSL Certificates AntiVirus Firewall PCI Compliance EndPoint Security Managed DNS
Number of employees	1,100+
Slogan	Creating Trust Online
Website	www.comodo.com

Comodo Group, Inc. is a privately held group of companies providing computer software and SSL digital certificates, based in Clifton, New Jersey in the United States. It has offices in the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Romania, China, India, Turkey and Clifton, NJ.^[2] As of 24 February 2015, Comodo is the largest issuer of SSL certificates with a 33.6% market share on 6.6% of all web domains.^[3][4]

History

The company was founded in 1998 in the United Kingdom,^[1] by Melih Abdulhayoğlu, who remains its CEO. The company relocated to the United States in 2004. Its product line is focused on computer and internet security. The firm operates a Certificate Authority that issues SSL certificates, offers a computer security suite that includes antivirus and firewall protection and offers other web and network protection services.^[5]

Companies

• Comodo CA Lmtd: Based in City of Salford, Greater Manchester UK,^[6] is a digital certificate authority that issues SSL and other digital certificates. According to W3Techs.com, Comodo is the largest digital certificate provider.^[7][8]
• Comodo Security Solutions, Inc: Based in Clifton, NJ, develops and markets security software for commercial and consumer use. This includes web site vulnerability and penetration scannng, corporate and consumer pc security systems and other networks security products. Comodo AntiVirus Labs support all versions of their security systems.^[9]
• DNS.com: Based in Louisville, Kentucky, the company provides managed DNS services.^[10]

Products

Security products and tools offered by Comodo

• Comodo SSL - Comodo was founded as a Certificate Authority selling Comodo SSL and digital certificates. Its primary source of revenue comes from related products to business and enterprises. Related E-Commerce products include PCI Compliance Scanning and Web Site Vulnerability Scanning.
• Comodo Internet Security (CIS) is a suite of security products for the desktop, provided free, with additional features available for a fee.^[11] Support requires a subscription. It includes a personal firewall, Host-based intrusion detection system and antivirus program.^[12]

• Comodo Antivirus- A free Antivirus product that supports all major OS including Mac, (from OS X 10.4),^[13] Linux (from Ubuntu 12.04)^[14] and Windows (from XP S2, including Windows 10).^[15]

• Comodo Mobile Security - A free Android application that protects mobile devices against viruses, worms and scripts. In addition, it also features SMS & Call Blocking, a software & process manager, data and apps backup and data traffic Monitor.
• Comodo email certificate - S/MIME-enabling certificates, free for personal use, per-year fee for corporate use.^[16]

Web browsers offered by Comodo

• Comodo Dragon - A Chromium-based browser with enhanced privacy and security^[17]
• Comodo IceDragon - a Firefox-based browser, both with enhanced privacy and security features
• Chromodo - another Chromium-based browser released in 2015 that has been criticized for removing security features

Other Comodo Products

1. Comodo Endpoint Security Manager (CESM)- CESM is a centralized device management system that includes the ability to distribute PC security software. The software used includes a version of the same firewall, antivirus systems and sandbox containment technology that comprise Comodo Internet Security.^[18][19][20]
2. Comodo Securebox was released in July 2014 and was jointly developed with Western Union with the intention of solving the problem of an application needing to conduct sensitive activities such as financial transactions from an already compromised system. Securebox containment technology protects the application and its activities even if the computer is infected with malware^[21][22]
3. Comodo System Utilities - PC Magazine reviewed the product concluding "it is an effective system-enhancing utility that is as potent, if not more so in certain cases, as paid apps".^[23]
4. MyDLP - In May 2014, the Comodo Group had acquired MyDLP, an open source data loss prevention system. Comodo has begun marketing the Enterprise version through its Comodo Security Solutions subsidiary.
5. SurGate Labs - In 2014 Comodo acquired SurGate Labs, a Turkish Software company that specializes in secure email an messaging systems. SurGate only recently began marketing its products outside of Turkey and Eastern Europe.^[24][25][26]
6. Comodo Korugan - In 2014 Comodo introduced the Korugan line of Unified Threat Management Appliances that provide a bundle of network security solutions such as firewall, gateway antivirus and end security management.^[27][28]
7. Comodo Backup - In 2014 Comodo introduced Secured backup for Online Storage.^[29]

Industry affiliations

Comodo is a member of the following industry organizations:

• Certificate Authority Security Council (CASC): In February 2013, Comodo became a founding member of this industry advocacy organization dedicated to addressing industry issues and educating the public on internet security.^[30][31]
• Common Computing Security Standards Forum (CCSF): In 2009 Comodo was a founding member of the CCSF, an industry organization that promotes industry standards that protect end users. Comodo CEO Melih Abdulhayoğlu is considered the founder of the CCSF.^[32]
• CA/Browser Forum: In 2005, Comodo was a founding member of a new consortium of Certificate Authorities and web browser vendors dedicated to promoting industry standards and baseline requirements for internet security.^[33][34]

Competitors

Norton AntiVirus

On 29 September 2010, Neil J. Rubenking, the lead analyst for security of PC Magazine, published an article on Comodo Antivirus 5.0 that concluded that Comodo Antivirus 5.0 blocked a higher percentage of malware than Norton AntiVirus, but was less effective than the Norton solution when it came to malware removal.^[35][36]

Controversies

Symantec

In response to Symantec's comment over the effectiveness of free Antivirus software, on September 18, 2010, the CEO of Comodo Group challenged Symantec to see which products can defend the consumer better against malware.^[37] Symantec responded saying that if Comodo is interested they should have their product included in tests by independent reviewers.^[38]

Certificate hacking

On March 23, 2011, Comodo reported that 8 days earlier, on 15 March 2011, a user account with an affiliate registration authority had been compromised and was used to create a new user account that issued nine certificate signing requests.^[39] Nine certificates for seven domains were issued.^[39] The attack was traced to IP address 212.95.136.18, which originates in Tehran, Iran.^[39] Though the firm initially reported that the breach was the result of a "state-driven attack", it subsequently stated that the origin of the attack may be the "result of an attacker attempting to lay a false trail.".^[39][40] Such issues have been widely reported, and has led to criticism of how certificates are issued and revoked.^{[41][42][43][44]} As of 2015, all of the certificates have been revoked.^[39] Microsoft has issued a security advisory and update to address the issue.^[45][46]

On March 26, 2011, a person under the username "ComodoHacker" made several posts to Pastebin.com claiming to be an Iranian responsible for the attacks.^[47][48]

Enabling Man-In-The-Middle Attacks

In February 2015, Comodo was involved with a man-in-the-middle enabling tool known as PrivDog, which claims to protect users against malicious advertising.^[49]

Certificates Issued to Known Malware

In 2009 Microsoft MVP Michael Burgess accused Comodo of issuing digital certificates to known malware.^[50]

Chromodo browser

In January 2016, Tavis Ormandy reported that Comodo's Chromodo browser exhibited a number of vulnerabilities, including disabling of the same-origin policy.^[51]

See also

• Comparison of antivirus software
• Comparison of computer viruses
• Internet Security
• Antivirus software
• Comparison of firewalls

References

1. "How US entrepreneur's global internet security firm started life in Bradford". Telegraph & Argus. 3 Sep 2014. Retrieved 3 Sep 2014.
2. "Comodo Company Locations". Retrieved 14 August 2015.
3. "Comodo SSL leads Symantac". Retrieved 2015-02-12.
4. "w3techs - Comodo SSL leads Symantac". Retrieved 2015-02-12.
5. "Comodo Company Overview". Retrieved 14 August 2015.
6. "Comodo - Contact Us".
7. "W3Techs - extensive and reliable web technology surveys". w3techs.com.
8. Admin TOA. "- Comodo Named Fastest Growing SSL Certificate Authority". Turkofamerica.com. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
9. "Comodo Security Solutions, Inc.". Icsalabs.com. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
10. Joe Callan. "Domainers Magazine - DNS.com : The Next Geo-Targeting Solution - Jul-Aug (Issue 22)". Domainersmagazine.com. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
11. "Comodo Products - PC Security, Site Security, Prevention Software". comodo.com.
12. "Proactive Security Challenge: Results and comments". matousec.com. Difinex Ltd. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
13. "Comodo Antivirus for Mac details". Retrieved 14 August 2015.
14. "Comodo Antivirus for linux Overview". Retrieved 14 August 2015.
15. "Antivirus for windows 10". Retrieved 2010-12-25.
16. Comodo free secure email certificate
17. Comodo Dragon, Download.com
18. "Comodo Endpoint Security Manager overview". Retrieved 14 August 2015.
19. Ashton Mills (26 March 2015). "Endpoint Security Products: Part 1". Cso.com.au. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
20. "GFI EndPointSecurity - Voted WindowSecurity.com Readers' Choice Award Winner - Endpoint Security". WindowSecurity.com. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
21. "Comodo SecureBox always assumes the worst to strengthen endpoint security". BetaNews. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
22. "About Comodo Securebox". Retrieved 14 August 2015.
23. "Comodo System Utilities Review". Pcmag.com. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
24. "SurGATE OutlookDAV". iDNES.cz. 14 June 2014. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
25. "SurGATE Labs yurtdışına açılıyor!". TeknolojiOku.com. 4 February 2014. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
26. "Surgate Labs". Surgate.com. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
27. "Korugan Unified Threat Management". MalwareTips.com.
28. "Echte IT-Tiefenverteidigung: Korugan von COMODO schließt interne und externe Sicherheitslücken". Pressebox.de. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
29. "Comodo Backup". Retrieved 14 August 2015.
30. Ellen Messmer (14 February 2013). "Multivendor power council formed to address digital certificate issues". Network World.
31. "Authentication Security News, Analysis, Discussion, & Community". Darkreading.com. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
32. "SecurityPark". SecurityPark. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
33. "CA/Browser Forum". Cabforum.org. Retrieved 2013-04-23.
34. Wilson, Wilson. "CA/Browser Forum History" (PDF). DigiCert. Retrieved 2013-04-23.
35. Rubenking, Neil J. (29 September 2010). "Comodo Antivirus 5.0". PC Magazine (Ziff Davis, Inc.). Retrieved 2010-09-29.
36. Neil J. Rubenking (29 September 2010). "Comodo Antivirus 5.0 malware blocking chart". PC Magazine (Ziff Davis, Inc.). Retrieved 2010-09-29.
37. Abdulhayoğlu, Melih (18 September 2010). "Challenge to Symantec from Comodo CEO!". Comodo Group. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
38. Rubenking, Neil J. (22 September 2010). "Comodo Challenges Symantec to Antivirus Showdown". PC Magazine (Ziff Davis, Inc.). Retrieved 2010-09-22.
39. "Report of incident on 15-MAR-2011". Comodo group. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
40. Hallam-Baker, Phillip (March 23, 2011). "The Recent RA Compromise". Comodo Blog. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
41. Eckersley, Peter (March 23, 2011). "Iranian hackers obtain fraudulent HTTPS certificates: How close to a Web security meltdown did we get?". EFF. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
42. "Iran accused in 'dire' net security attack" (BBC). BBC News. March 24, 2011. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
43. "Detecting Certificate Authority compromises and web browser collusion". TOR. March 22, 2011. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
44. Elinor Mills and Declan McCullagh (March 23, 2011). "Google, Yahoo, Skype targeted in attack linked to Iran". CNET. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
45. "Microsoft Security Advisory (2524375)" (Microsoft). March 23, 2011. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
46. "Microsoft Security Advisory: Fraudulent Digital Certificates could allow spoofing". Microsoft. March 23, 2011. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
47. Bright, Peter (March 28, 2011). "Independent Iranian Hacker Claims Responsibility for Comodo Hack" (WIRED). Wired. Retrieved 2011-03-29.
48. "ComodoHacker's Pastebin". Pastebin.com. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
49. http://www.pcworld.com/article/2887632/secure-advertising-tool-privdog-compromises-https-security.html
50. http://www.cnet.com/forums/discussions/comodo-continue-to-to-issue-certificates-to-known-malware-343022/
51. https://code.google.com/p/google-security-research/issues/detail?id=704

Bibliography

• Comodo Backup User Manual Source

External links

• Official website