Astaro, one of the companies Tech Herald met at RSA and known UTM vendor, released version 7.2 of their Security Gateway appliance. This new version adds controls to monitor and block Skype traffic and other protocols such as QQ or Winny.
New UTM offers messaging compliance enforcement. (IMG:J.Anderson)
With Astaro, Skype connections and other complex, difficult-to-identify protocols, such as QQ or Winny, can be picked out in the data stream. Although some IM and P2P applications can generate real value for businesses, IT security experts recommend centralized monitoring and administration of user access. For example, many companies use BitTorrent to exchange large files or software downloads.
In some companies, administrators struggle with messenger and P2P software programs, which employees install for business or private use without the company’s knowledge or permission. This can do serious harm to network security, as many experts will tell you. Data can be slipped past the company's firewall, and virus-infected files can enter the network. Administrators also have to deal with heavy volumes of network traffic, disruption of other applications, violations of compliance regulations, and diminished productivity.
In such cases, there needs to be a way to provide employees authorized access to BitTorrent while risky or undesired applications remain blocked. On the company network, exceptions to the internal security policy can be defined to grant granular access to specific instant messaging services or peer-to-peer applications for individual IP addresses or end systems. Like most UTMs, the new version of Astaro Security Gateway offers this.
UTMs are a great layer to overall security. They can help enforce installation policy, and maintain solid QoS for VoIP services. However, the largest misconception many companies have is that a UTM is the fabled silver bullet. UTMs offer solid coverage for Malware, Spam, IDS/IPS, and other threats, but they should be used as one part of a security plan and not as the plan itself. The truth is that UTMS cannot offer one hundred percent coverage because they focus on so many threats at one time. (Simply, you cannot have full coverage on several fronts in the war, it's impossible.) This is why security must be layered.
The latest release of Astaro Security Gateway V7.2 is available as a virtual appliance or software ISO starting at a list price of $345, or pre-installed on Astaro’s hardware appliances. Astaro Web Gateway is available on the hardware systems Astaro Web Gateway 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 starting at a list price of $995.
There are currently no comments for this article. Be the first to comment! (no registration required)
Advertising
There are currently no comments for this article. Be the first to comment! (no registration required)