WebEx is based on the T.120 data conferencing standard and is deployed on a distributed system of high speed conferencing servers. When a customer enters a WebEx meeting, the WebEx client communicates with the conferencing server to establish a reliable, secure connection. When establishing this connection, the client first attempts to connect using TCP port 1270. If this port is blocked by a firewall, the client will tunnel the communications using HTTP port 80. Establishing communications in this manner eliminates the need to reconfigure firewalls to take advantage of the meeting center. This helps ensure compliance with corporate firewall policies for optimal security. The WebEx client is firewall friendly and will work seamlessly with proxy servers and firewall deployments

The Maxagrid meeting center powered by WebEx is a highly secure platform. Meeting contents are never sent in clear text. Meeting data, including application sharing, desktop sharing and documents are encoded/decoded in a proprietary format. To be readable the data must be decoded in sequence with the appropriate header information. Additionally WebEx uniquely identifies session participants with unique session ID's that ensure that a third party cannot reassemble meeting content. These techniques make it practically impossible for an eavesdropper to reconstruct a WebEx meeting from the outside. The WebEx conferencing servers that make all this possible have also been designed with security in mind. They act as information switches, holding meeting data only as long as it takes to ensure that each meeting participant has a timely and valid copy. Dynamic meeting content displayed during a session originates from the presenters PC and attendees see only a representation of this data. At the end of the meeting all such representations dissipate leaving only the original copy on the presenters PC. Combining this method of handling data, with secure physical server access for the WebEx servers, yields a system that does not open up any new security concerns for our valued customers.

The final area of security to consider is the meeting itself. To protect the meeting a password can be required to login, the host has the ability to visually see everyone in the meeting and expel unwanted/uninvited attendees and the host can lock the meeting when all guests have arrived. During a WebEx meeting, it is possible to control applications and even the desktop of a remote machine. However, the owner of that machine must explicitly allow remote-control access for a specific attendee (presenter/host) and such access can be revoked anytime, instantly, and cannot be regained without unequivocal permission. Our customers will always have complete control over what we can do on their desktop. When control is handed over, the meeting center pops up a message that notifies which user has control, and that control can be regained with a simple mouse click. The attendee, not the host, has to allow the presenter/host to access their desktop and can revoke that permission at anytime. If remote desktop control is given to a presenter, the presenter has the same network access rights as the person sharing their desktop. Everything that is done in sharing mode will be visible by our clients and subject to their agreement. In recognition of the potential this represents, Maxagrid has an official policy regarding desktop sharing. If for some reason, updating data files or finding a traffic file, a Maxagrid employee needs to access a customers server, they will clear that through our Manager of Information Systems.

At Maxagrid we are always looking for new ways to improve our customer service. The WebEx platform offers many unique features in a highly secure manner. If the information above does not answer all of your questions concerning this exciting new opportunity, send e-mail to tech@maxagrid.com or call us at 972-241-2110 and ask for the Manager of Information Systems for further details.