UTM Security Solutions from SECURE COMPUTING®

The disadvantage of trying to implement comprehensive security is that there are multiple threat vectors, and there are multiple types of technologies that must be deployed to address them. Most companies use a basic firewall and anti-virus software, but these two don't even begin to address the range of threats that exist today. Even if a company does deploy a dozen or so separate security products to address every possible threat, management of so many separate tools is nearly impossible, and can get quite confusing. Secure Computing has an answer to this problem.

The concept of Unified Threat Management (UTM) has revolutionized the security industry, and has brought a more secure networking environment to businesses of all sizes. UTM security is implemented through a single appliance, which includes multiple security functions that are managed through a single management interface. Secure Computing's Secure Firewall (Sidewinder) appliances present all-in-one UTM security, consolidating numerous functions into a single, easily-managed device.

Out of the box, Secure Firewall's (Sidewinder) UTM security platform delivers more gateway security functions than any other UTM security device on the market. Secure Firewall's (Sidewinder) UTM includes TrustedSource™ global reputation services, intrusion prevention (IPS) signature service, anti-virus and anti-spyware, anti-spam and anti-fraud protection, URL filtering and SSL decryption. Because it is an all-in-one UTM security device, not only does the Sidewinder address all potential threats, it also minimizes the management overhead. This means reduced administrative costs. And because its setup and operation is straightforward, management of departmental Secure Firewalls (Sidewinder) can be delegated to department managers, with little IT oversight required.

Each of the multiple elements of Secure Firewall's (Sidewinder) UTM security plays a vital role in the overall holistic well-being of the network. In addition to protecting the network against dangerous spam, viruses, Trojans, and spyware, URL filtering adds protection against contact with potentially dangerous URLs that may contain active code that could trigger a drive-by attack. TrustedSource adds a front layer of protection with a global reputation service, which assigns a reputation score to every IP, URL domain and email. Lastly, SSL scanning adds an often-overlooked element of UTM security. Attackers often hide malware in encrypted files, which are often not analyzed by standard security tools. The SSL scanning feature of Secure Firewall's (Sidewinder) UTM security decrypts the files for analysis at the gateway, ensures that the traffic is legitimate and not harmful, and then recrypts it and sends it on its way. At no time is decrypted information sent over the wire.

An essential component of UTM security is a hardened operating system. The UTM security appliance is unlike the other servers in the network, and it should not run on a commercial operating system. If the security appliance can be hacked in the same manner as a Web server, then its protective services can be easily compromised. That's why the appliance model of security is preferred; running software-based firewalls and security applications within the standard network server alongside other networking applications is an invitation to attack. Sidewinder runs on the SecureOS® hardened operating system, with its patented Type Enforcement® technology. This resilient OS is the foundation of Sidewinder's UTM security. Type Enforcement eliminates unconstrained services and extraneous services, and provides strong separation of the operating system from other applications, and between the applications themselves.

For more information on Secure Computing's UTM Security solutions, please visit our Products-at-a-Glance page.