F5 Rolls Out New Firewall and SSL VPN

F5 Networks has delivered two new network security products for enterprises, a new version of its Secure Sockets Layer Virtual Private Network (SSL VPN), and an application firewall.

The company's TrafficShield application firewall is now available on F5's new 4100 security platform. A dedicated, application-level security device, it is designed to offer protection from intruders who bypass traditional perimeter security measures and target web applications to gain access to the corporate network.

The firewall uses a positive security model, rather than negative security logic used by other network security devices like network firewalls, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), and other point security devices. According to F5, that means that it can protect against unknown security threats, rather than only known threats. The firewall is also designed to give users, secure access to the information they need, while preventing anyone from tampering with the applications themselves.

"Positive security delivers a tailored view of Web application vulnerabilities through which preventive actions can be taken to ensure critical Web applications are continuously protected. General approaches that rely on signatures cannot deliver this same level of protection," Michael Suby, Senior Research Analyst and Program Manager at Stratecast Partners (a Division of Frost & Sullivan) explained in a statement.

The new version of its F5's VPN, FirePass Controller, run on new hardware, offers ubiquitous secure application access, and offers simplified and scalable management. It allows VPN access from a wide variety of access modes, including dialup, DSL, cable, and wireless networks."Moving to F5's FirePass SSL VPN helps us provide better remote access to employees, eliminates the cost and hassle of supporting older IPSec client software, and also supports our Coinstar business initiatives," Michael Lau, Network Systems Manager for Coinstar said in a statement.