Developer Interview: SoftSphere Technologies
The previous interview with the developers of Download Master was a good success and today I am publishing another interview already with another developer and from a completely different field.
This time we will talk about security. Today, Ilya Rabinovich, DefenseWall HIPS developer and head of SoftSphere Technologies, will talk about his programs, work life, and the future of free software.
freealt.net> Tell us about yourself and your programs. How long have you been developing and why did you decide to create programs for security, but, say, not video editors or something else?
Ilya> He graduated from the Moscow Engineering and Physics Institute, Department of Experimental Nuclear Physics. In 1994, I was bought the first computer with a bare DOS on board. Thus began the process of understanding the subtleties of the functioning of iron and the kernel of the operating system. I like it so far, nothing has changed. I like to get to the bottom of the essence of things, it is innate. It is clear that the point of application of such knowledge and skills is safety. On the white or dark side, this is just a matter of ethics. I chose white.
freealt.net> How do you rate the market for similar programs in Russia and the world? In other words, are there many competitors or is your program quite unique?
Ilya> At the moment, I estimate the HIPS market as being only in its initial stage, both in the world, and especially in Russia. Suffice it to say that the comparative testing methodology of HIPS systems is still only at the level of the first versions of the document (but I managed to put my contribution into it). Really tests will begin only in 2008.
')
Accordingly, there is not much PR, there is no consolidation of the market. This is an axiom. Regardless, whether the market is end-user or SMB / Corporate. Most companies in the world have budget lines “antiviruses” and “firewalls”, but there is no “HIPS” line, although this type of program is at the same level in ensuring the anti-virus security of enterprises, if not even higher.
Competitors, of course, are there, they must be, otherwise problems arise,
for:
Naturally, HIPS DefenseWall has certain competitive advantages over other programs. Otherwise, there would be no point in starting, if you do not set yourself the goal of becoming and being the best. One of my competitors has already swallowed up Google, CheckPoint / ZoneAlarm is catching up. So 2008 promises to be interesting. I believe that free, fair competition is only on the hands of end users, that is, me and you, my potential customers :)
freealt.net> As far as I understand, basically, your customers are different companies. Does this mean that protection for corporate users is more important, or do they simply pay for programs more often than private users?
Ilya> My main customers right now are end users. Companies do not have a budget line "HIPS", and the concept of "antivirus" DefenseWall HIPS definitely does not fit :) Naturally, they are mostly concentrated not in Russia - the United States, England, Australia ...
It is clear that the level of piracy in the field of SMB / Corporate is much lower than in the environment of end users. And of course, much more money is spinning there. But you also need to understand that the rules of the game are such that innovative start-ups, without a name, rarely can reach out to this sector right away, without a long preliminary reconnaissance in force and artillery preparation.
freealt.net> Do you often come across hacking programs and what measures do you take to protect? What do you think is better - to actively fight against piracy or just to make the use of illegal software unprofitable?
Ilya> All interesting programs are hacked. There are no unbroken programs. Not a single security code will stand against a professional, this is a fact. And if you do not hack, skardyat. The main thing is that it is impossible to make the left key generator to the program, for this you need to use strong asymmetric cryptography.
It must be understood that the fight against piracy is the lot of large corporations. They have the material means and levers of influence among the authorities and the mass media. The purpose of startups is the development of innovative products and their subsequent monetization through sales and popularization among potential consumers of their products. Everyone must do their work, I believe in it 100%. I do my own and, therefore, do not fight with cracks. And I will not theorize about the most effective means of struggle - I’m more of a practitioner. Here I will become a big corporation, then we will see what is better in the fight against piracy :)
freealt.net> What do you think about the level of piracy in Russia and the CIS countries? Why did you stop working with the Russian market and do you plan to return to it?
Ilya> DefenseWall HIPS sales in Russia are disappointingly low, despite the fact that program reviews were published on very strong Internet resources on the Internet. So low that I decided to release the second version of the program without the Russian interface, I am not sure that the costs of transferring resources and help will be repulsed by me.
I do not think that this is only because of piracy (although its level is over 80% in Russia). This is also due to the low number of Internet users, the backwardness of means of payment for the programs you like (there are few credit cards, it would be ideal via SMS, but before the breakthrough you can still row and row because of the greed of OPPSOs), as well as the overall low susceptibility to innovation. Suffice it to say that all the latest “innovative” projects of the Runet are just clones stupidly licked from Western analogues.
freealt.net> In one of our conversations, you said that you do not believe in free security. What is your opinion based on? After all, there are many free security products that perform well in independent tests and even bypass some of their paid counterparts.
Ilya> I do not believe in free security for two reasons.
freealt.net> OK, and what are the prospects for free software in other areas? Do you share the point of view that the future for Open Source?
Ilya> It's hard to say. Each IT niche has its own. There are no universal recipes and solutions. The future is in programs that solve user problems in the most efficient way. And for what they will be made models - this is generally the tenth thing. Business is an extremely practical area of ​​activity, there is no place for religious wars.
freealt.net> What free software do you use and what would you recommend to our readers?
Ilya> FireFox, Opera, VirtualPC, uTorrent, WinAmp, FFDShow, VLC (VideoLAN media player), MPC (Media Player Classic), Acrobat Reader, Sun Java, 7-Zip, ICQ, TrueCrypt, HelpMaker (but I can't say that I recommend it very much).
freealt.net> Thanks for the interview.
Ilya> Always please :)
That turned out to be an interview :) Quite informative, I think. And what do you say?
[ Original Blog Free Alternative ]
This time we will talk about security. Today, Ilya Rabinovich, DefenseWall HIPS developer and head of SoftSphere Technologies, will talk about his programs, work life, and the future of free software.
freealt.net> Tell us about yourself and your programs. How long have you been developing and why did you decide to create programs for security, but, say, not video editors or something else?
Ilya> He graduated from the Moscow Engineering and Physics Institute, Department of Experimental Nuclear Physics. In 1994, I was bought the first computer with a bare DOS on board. Thus began the process of understanding the subtleties of the functioning of iron and the kernel of the operating system. I like it so far, nothing has changed. I like to get to the bottom of the essence of things, it is innate. It is clear that the point of application of such knowledge and skills is safety. On the white or dark side, this is just a matter of ethics. I chose white.
freealt.net> How do you rate the market for similar programs in Russia and the world? In other words, are there many competitors or is your program quite unique?
Ilya> At the moment, I estimate the HIPS market as being only in its initial stage, both in the world, and especially in Russia. Suffice it to say that the comparative testing methodology of HIPS systems is still only at the level of the first versions of the document (but I managed to put my contribution into it). Really tests will begin only in 2008.
')
Accordingly, there is not much PR, there is no consolidation of the market. This is an axiom. Regardless, whether the market is end-user or SMB / Corporate. Most companies in the world have budget lines “antiviruses” and “firewalls”, but there is no “HIPS” line, although this type of program is at the same level in ensuring the anti-virus security of enterprises, if not even higher.
Competitors, of course, are there, they must be, otherwise problems arise,
for:
- There is no market for the product.
- There is a market, but can you raise it with a small startup?
Naturally, HIPS DefenseWall has certain competitive advantages over other programs. Otherwise, there would be no point in starting, if you do not set yourself the goal of becoming and being the best. One of my competitors has already swallowed up Google, CheckPoint / ZoneAlarm is catching up. So 2008 promises to be interesting. I believe that free, fair competition is only on the hands of end users, that is, me and you, my potential customers :)
freealt.net> As far as I understand, basically, your customers are different companies. Does this mean that protection for corporate users is more important, or do they simply pay for programs more often than private users?
Ilya> My main customers right now are end users. Companies do not have a budget line "HIPS", and the concept of "antivirus" DefenseWall HIPS definitely does not fit :) Naturally, they are mostly concentrated not in Russia - the United States, England, Australia ...
It is clear that the level of piracy in the field of SMB / Corporate is much lower than in the environment of end users. And of course, much more money is spinning there. But you also need to understand that the rules of the game are such that innovative start-ups, without a name, rarely can reach out to this sector right away, without a long preliminary reconnaissance in force and artillery preparation.
freealt.net> Do you often come across hacking programs and what measures do you take to protect? What do you think is better - to actively fight against piracy or just to make the use of illegal software unprofitable?
Ilya> All interesting programs are hacked. There are no unbroken programs. Not a single security code will stand against a professional, this is a fact. And if you do not hack, skardyat. The main thing is that it is impossible to make the left key generator to the program, for this you need to use strong asymmetric cryptography.
It must be understood that the fight against piracy is the lot of large corporations. They have the material means and levers of influence among the authorities and the mass media. The purpose of startups is the development of innovative products and their subsequent monetization through sales and popularization among potential consumers of their products. Everyone must do their work, I believe in it 100%. I do my own and, therefore, do not fight with cracks. And I will not theorize about the most effective means of struggle - I’m more of a practitioner. Here I will become a big corporation, then we will see what is better in the fight against piracy :)
freealt.net> What do you think about the level of piracy in Russia and the CIS countries? Why did you stop working with the Russian market and do you plan to return to it?
Ilya> DefenseWall HIPS sales in Russia are disappointingly low, despite the fact that program reviews were published on very strong Internet resources on the Internet. So low that I decided to release the second version of the program without the Russian interface, I am not sure that the costs of transferring resources and help will be repulsed by me.
I do not think that this is only because of piracy (although its level is over 80% in Russia). This is also due to the low number of Internet users, the backwardness of means of payment for the programs you like (there are few credit cards, it would be ideal via SMS, but before the breakthrough you can still row and row because of the greed of OPPSOs), as well as the overall low susceptibility to innovation. Suffice it to say that all the latest “innovative” projects of the Runet are just clones stupidly licked from Western analogues.
freealt.net> In one of our conversations, you said that you do not believe in free security. What is your opinion based on? After all, there are many free security products that perform well in independent tests and even bypass some of their paid counterparts.
Ilya> I do not believe in free security for two reasons.
- Security is a service. Service, not an installed program! Antiviruses constantly need to update their signature databases (preferably once an hour or even more often). Firewalls and HIPS are not so greedy for updates, but they should always be the latest version. Constant development (and here it is impossible to stop for a second) requires a constant influx of money to pay programmers, salespeople, advertising, Internet, office, electricity, new computers and so on. Those free versions of security tools that I know are either cut to functionality and, in fact, are not security tools (either all or nothing), or they will be paid for when a certain share of popularity is reached.
- Security is a commitment. Obligation of the supplier of protection to the customer. What obligations can we talk about if the client does not pay for the development? I know a bunch of free security software abandoned by their developers.
freealt.net> OK, and what are the prospects for free software in other areas? Do you share the point of view that the future for Open Source?
Ilya> It's hard to say. Each IT niche has its own. There are no universal recipes and solutions. The future is in programs that solve user problems in the most efficient way. And for what they will be made models - this is generally the tenth thing. Business is an extremely practical area of ​​activity, there is no place for religious wars.
freealt.net> What free software do you use and what would you recommend to our readers?
Ilya> FireFox, Opera, VirtualPC, uTorrent, WinAmp, FFDShow, VLC (VideoLAN media player), MPC (Media Player Classic), Acrobat Reader, Sun Java, 7-Zip, ICQ, TrueCrypt, HelpMaker (but I can't say that I recommend it very much).
freealt.net> Thanks for the interview.
Ilya> Always please :)
That turned out to be an interview :) Quite informative, I think. And what do you say?
[ Original Blog Free Alternative ]
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/16194/
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