Network
Associates Tuesday announced a new firewall technology allowing system
administrators to easily change the type of traffic that can flow through
corporate networks.
The advancement, known as adaptive proxies technology, will be featured
in its Gauntlet Firewall 3.0 for Windows NT product, slated for
release later this month. It will also be available on all Unix and NT
versions of Gauntlet later this year.
The patent-pending “adaptive proxy” technology is significant because it
provides users with the best of both previous firewall technologies.
Adaptive proxy firewalls dynamically “adapt” packet flow on-the-fly based
on user-defined security rules, so users can customize firewall policies to
specific needs without decreasing speed or security.
For example, when security requirements are greatest, the initial security
examination will still occur at the application layer, assuring the maximum
security of a traditional proxy firewall. Once all the details of that
session have been cleared by the
proxy, subsequent data packets can proceed directly through the much faster
network layer. Network Associates said initial benchmark tests
of the new technology have shown ten-fold or greater performance
improvements with no security compromise.
The adaptive proxy technology will also provide more flexible integration
between individual security products such as security vulnerability
scanners, virus security scanners, and intrusion protection sensors. The
product also prevents spammers from using a company’s mail servers to send
unsolicited commercial e-mail
Gauntlet 3.0 for NT also integrates “plug and play” proxy support, allowing
customers to add and update new proxies on the fly as they become
available, rather than waiting for custom patches or new versions of the
firewall software, enabling firewall administrators to provide
security for breaking new security threats or new emerging services by
simply updating or adding the affected proxy.
In addition, the new Gauntlet will provide new pre-configured security
policies to help customers install the firewall quickly and easily, and a
more robust CVP implementation to help integrate third party applications
with the firewall.
Gauntlet 3.0 for Windows NT is slated for shipment to customers starting
Oct. 31. The company said the new version will be sent free of charge to
current Gauntlet users under the Network Associates subscription-pricing
model. Gauntlet is also available as part of Net Tools Secure. Pricing for
the Net Tools Secure suite begins at $56 per node for 5,000 users.
