Hack us if you can: start-up Wiresoft issues Firegate hacker challenge

Many software companies talk a big game when it comes to Internet security, but Wiresoft is putting its money where its mouth is. The Cincinnati-based network security provider will pay $24,000 to anyone who can hack Firegate, its single-platform network security product. 

Wiresoft president Tom Schram is excited about the visibility his company has gained through the Hack Us If You Can Contest. But meeting the needs of small and medium-sized businesses drives his quest for unrivaled security.

"If I lose connectivity to the Internet, I've lost the umbilical cord of my small business," said Schram. "But many small and medium-sized businesses don't have the money for a security investment." 

Schram provides value to the consumer with an all-inclusive security/disaster recovery platform. A small business doesn't have to purchase separate products and hope that they interface well. Firegate's firewall functions control access and block spam. One company's case study showed that with increased employee productivity, it recouped the cost of Firegate within a couple of months.

Schram's technical and practical experience allows him to meet business needs efficiently. He's served as a U.S. Navy cryptologist, and was recently named to the advisory board of Ball State University's Computer Science department. He's also done marketing and product development for Procter and Gamble, and worked at a small ad agency. 

While Wiresoft's resellers market Firegate nationally, its Cincinnati staff expands its reach within the city. After adding three new jobs in six months, Schram will move Wiresoft's staff of seven into a new Kemper Road office in early December. With the internet security field growing at 30 percent a year, expansion plans will continue into 2010. 

And so will Schram's vision for philanthropy. Plans are in the works for donating Firegate to a large local educational institution. Since Schram and three of his employees are veterans, contributions to the Fallen Heroes fund are a Wiresoft priority as well. 

"A month ago, we were a small, local company," said Schram.

But the Hackers' Challenge has put Wiresoft on the map. Now local and national investment will keep it in the game.

 

Writer: Elena Stevenson

Source: Tom Schram, President, Wiresoft