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Company Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Argus Systems Group and what do you do? Argus Systems Group is a company that develops, sells and services security solutions for high-level server operating systems. We provide software that converts Unix-based operating systems into Trusted Operating Systems. For example, we offer a product for the Solaris operating system from Sun Microcomputers. Argus has also produced products for the AIX operating system from IBM and for many Linux-based server systems.
Argus Systems Group is owned by Innovative Security Systems. Inc. and is located in Savoy, Illinois, although we have partners around the world.
Who is Innovative Security Systems?
Innovative Security Systems, Inc. (ISSI) is a company formed for the purpose of acquiring and operating Argus Systems Group (Argus). Innovative Security Systems is owned by a group of private investors including Open Prairie Ventures. Open Prairie Ventures is a venture capital fund located in Champaign, Illinois, that focuses on early stage technology companies. Is Argus or Innovative Security Systems considered a "start-up" company? Yes and no. Argus was originally founded in March of 1993 and so it has been developing security products and trusted operating systems for over 14 years. ISSI was founded in 2003 and re-capitalized and restructured Argus in 2003, so we are treating it like a start-up even though we have proven, mature products, experienced engineers, and broad distribution channels.
Some of the key technical talent here at Argus has been with the company over 10 years. Mike Matthews is the Chief Technical Officer and has been developing PitBull products since the beginning. Paul McNabb is the Chief Security Architect and is also a founder of the original Argus.
How long has Argus been developing server security products?
Our core competency is and always has been in the field of high-end security solutions for networked computers. Originally focused on the government, defense, and intelligence markets, Argus first entered the commercial world in 1997 with Credit Suisse when it secured the world’s first direct, on-line, real-time transactional banking system. Argus now secures networked systems ranging from Internet web servers, to transactional e-commerce servers, to database servers at over one hundred companies and government agencies in sixteen countries around the world.
How many products does Argus have? Argus currently offers products for Solaris operating system from Sun Microsystems. The product that provides the most secure server environment is PitBull Foundation which locks the system so that no one, not even an administrator with root privileges and passwords can access resources or modify data without authorization. PitBull Foundation Suite is the same product but includes a set of tools that assist in administering the secure system. PitBull LX is similar to Foundation but allows the administrator to select which resources to protect and how access to them is to be restricted. Both PitBull Foundation and LX provide the security of a Trusted Operating System.
Look for additional products to be released in the future since we have had requests for products that are simpler to install and use than trusted operating systems, in applications that do not have such demanding security requirements. How is PitBull sold and supported? Argus sells PitBull products through resellers and system integrators. Our products are typically installed as part of a system upgrade or reconfiguration. This means that the system designer must have an intimate knowledge of the aspects of each component of the system and have the technical experience to ensure all the parts mesh properly with each other. We have found that knowledgeable resellers and system integrators handle this task best, although some organizations have the in-house talent and experience to act as system integrators.
We also expect the resellers and system integrators to be able to provide the first line of support for PitBull. Their engineers typically have a better knowledge of the specifics of the total system and can quickly diagnose problems. Argus maintains an engineering support staff in Savoy to support the resellers and system integrators and handle problems with the actual PitBull software.
The PitBull product line is priced according to the type of operating system and how many processors are in the server. For example, in the US the price for PitBull LX for a single processor server running Solaris is about $3,000. PitBull Foundation Suite for a server with 64 processors running Solaris may cost over $64,000.
Are you seeking to hire additional employees?
We are always looking for exceptional talent, especially engineering talent whose experience includes working with Unix-based operating system kernel software. You must be able to work effectively with a small group of professionals at our Savoy, Illinois headquarters. Contact us through jobs@argus-systems.com if you would like more information. Why Savoy, Illinois? Is Argus affiliated with the University of Illinois?
Argus is headquartered in Savoy, Illinois, which is a suburb of Champaign-Urbana, home of the University of Illinois (UIUC). Although we are not affiliated with the University, we benefit from our proximity to the world-class College of Engineering and the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. For example, Argus and the University of Illinois jointly launched the Center for Advanced Research in Information Security, a research and development center for critical infrastructure security technologies.
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