Sophos integrates endpoint security and UTM in a single box

INDUSTRY

Sophos has announced the availability of Sophos UTM 9, specifically designed to integrate gateway security and endpoint security in a single hardware or virtual box. According to the company, organisations and IT teams no longer have to spend considerable time and resources on configuring multiple point solutions to protect their entire IT infrastructures.

Sophos UTM 9 provides complete security protection, regardless of location, and combines the company’s endpoint protection and unified threat management solutions into a single management console.

Charles Kolodgy, research vice president at IDC, says: "When I first identified the UTM market, my vision was it would eventually encompass everything that a company would need to protect against threats. Endpoint security management was neglected and/or relegated to separate products. Recognising that mobile devices severely complicate endpoint management, Sophos is incorporating policy management for all endpoint devices, regardless of type and network, into their UTM solutions."

According to IDC, Worldwide Quarterly Security Appliance Tracker, in the first quarter of 2012 (1Q12), the UTM market represented 28.5 percent of security appliance revenues due to 12.2 percent year-over-year growth. This trajectory presents tremendous opportunities for VARs that partner with vendors offering these kinds of solutions.

“As the complexities of securing all networks have grown, so have the challenges for businesses to get the most out of the many point security solutions they have purchased. UTMs have been an increasingly popular way to address this problem, but until now, they haven’t been complete. By adding the ability to deploy and manage endpoint security, Sophos is making it easier for IT teams to get all the protection they need,” says Brett Myroff, CEO of Sophos distributor, NetXactics.

Sophos UTM: New Features

Sophos’ approach to endpoint protection uses its LiveConnect cloud service, meaning users can always manage all of their endpoints, no matter where they are or how they’re connected. Computers are kept up-to-date with antivirus protection and new policies that can be rolled out at any time.

HMTL5 VPN enables secure remote application access without installing any software on the desktop. HTML5 VPN portal lets users connect to internal resources wherever they are, no matter the device they use. Sophos’ browser-based portal uses HTML5, giving access through applications like VNC, remote desktop, SSH and more.

Wireless Hotspot Support manages Internet access for guests and visitors with customisable wireless hotspots. With the advent of bring your own device (BYOD), organisations struggle to provide simple and secure guest wireless access. Sophos’ wireless security provides this, while extending security policies to all guests and enabling businesses to set up guest access quotas by time and/or bandwidth.

The integrated Anti-Virus Engine scans email and web traffic with Sophos’ antivirus technology as well as a second commercial engine (from Avira). Sophos scans viruses, spyware, worms, Trojans, and adware in a single scan, and protects against zero-day-attacks.