STONESOFT OYJ : Raises the Bar with the Security Engine 5.4 and New High Speed Network Security Appliances

Helsinki, Finland - 12 September 2012 - The network security vendor Stonesoft releases new software (version 5.4) that runs at the core of all Stonesoft network security products and the Stonesoft Management Center (SMC). The company's flagship product, the Stonesoft Security Engine 5.4, now offers improved security against advanced cyber threats, including Advanced Evasion Techniques (AETs). To improve situational awareness the new SMC 5.4 provides unique AET reporting, enhanced log visualizations and overviews of entire networks.

To meet the need for higher data performance Stonesoft is also introducing two new high-end security appliances, the Stonesoft 3206 and Stonesoft 5206. With new software design and improved processing technology the appliances' real-life application traffic throughput has been increased to over 100Gbps. For customers this brings real value by offering dynamic, software-based security at the speed of static, hardware (ASIC)-based security.

The Stonesoft Security Engine 5.4 - AET reporting and user-friendly log visualizations

Stonesoft's new version 5.4 software has been tested against over 800 million Advanced Evasion Techniques (AETs) and provides the most comprehensive reporting of AET-borne cyber attacks. The new enhanced log visualization functionality takes real-time application and situational awareness to a level never previously witnessed in enterprise-class network security. For network security administrators this opens up new possibilities to monitor, analyze and control what is happening, and who is doing what, where, how and when - in a more visual and intuitive way - from one single management overview.

The transformable and adaptive Stonesoft Security Engine 5.4 is an integrated security software solution. It is capable of providing all of the network security features and functionalities of a Next Generation Firewall (NGFW), Intrusion Prevention System (NGIPS/IPS), Evasion Prevention System (EPS), layer-2 firewall, VPN or UTM. The Stonesoft Security Engine is designed to meet the requirements of the ever-changing cyber threat landscape, and can adapt to business or infrastructural changes. This allows users to re-configure, transform and dynamically select the level and structure of security without additional investment - or costly time delays.

The Stonesoft Security Engine 5.4 also puts an end to the security industry's dominant approach, which is to develop and sell static, disposable and siloed point solutions with a fixed lifecycle. As one unified and evolving software solution, the Security Engine is capable of deploying any new security updates, upgrades and improvements without heavy rip-replace-deploy operations. Stonesoft's "future included" thinking improves return on security investment - with a longer lifecycle and always-up-to-date protection. The Security Engine 5.4 is available as software, virtual software or as a hardware appliance for a perfect fit in today's hybrid network environments.

"The intuitive user experience and fully integrated technology of the Stonesoft Security Engine 5.4 brings substantial benefits beyond conventional standalone network security products", says Antti Kuvaja, Director of Product Management at Stonesoft. "When configured as a traditional NGFW/VPN, the Security Engine is capable of inspecting traffic with the very same accuracy as a traditional standalone IPS. Similarly, when configured to act as an IPS, the Security Engine offers features that were only found previously in full-blown FW/VPN products. With the Security Engine we are realizing the true convergence of security products and technologies."

More new and improved features

•           Route-based VPN and Dynamic Routing enables easier configuration and maintenance of VPN policies, as well as flexibility on how traffic is routed
•           Enhanced support for Snort© signatures
•           Improved deep inspection and application identification enables better protection, control and situational awareness over users and applications 
•           Improved Stonesoft Management Center scalability and localization helps avoid human error and enhances usability (e.g. language options)
•           Integrated Traffic Capture in the Stonesoft Management Center allows administrators to make traffic recordings easily and rapidly for incident investigation and troubleshooting

New High Performance Appliances - The Stonesoft 3206 and 5206

With the new software version 5.4, the Stonesoft 3206 and 5206 high performance appliances' real-world application traffic throughput has increased to over 100Gbps. For example, small data packet handling has increased by more than 400% to meet the requirements of large organizations, service providers, telecom operators etc. Both new appliances are available as a Stonesoft Security Engine, Next Generation Firewall/VPN and Intrusion Prevention System.
The new Stonesoft FW-5206 appliance was tested, using the BreakingPoint FireStorm from Ixia, at up to 119 Gbps of bandwidth on L3 traffic and up to 24 Million concurrent TCP connections on L4 traffic. With this high performance, Stonesoft is geared to address the service provider market that until now has been dominated by hardware based firewalls. Ixia provides comprehensive solutions for pre-deployment and production network monitoring:
http://www.ixiacom.com/solutions/network_visibility/index.php, testing and optimization.

Availability

The new version 5.4 Stonesoft Security Engine, and the new Stonesoft 3206 and 5206 appliances, are now available globally. To read more about the new features of the Stonesoft Security Engine 5.4 please visit StoneBlog Feature Previews:
http://stoneblog.stonesoft.com/tag/5-4/, securityengine.stonesoft.com:
http://securityengine.stonesoft.com/.

Contact

For more information, please contact:

Antti Kuvaja
Director of Product Management
Stonesoft Corporation
Tel. +358 9 476 711
E-mail: antti.kuvaja (at) stonesoft.com

Images and datasheets:

Stonesoft 5206 and 3206 Appliance Images:
www.stonesoft.com/en/press_and_media/brand_place/appliance_photos/:
http://www.stonesoft.com/en/press_and_media/brand_place/appliance_photos/

Stonesoft 5.4 Security Engine and Appliance Datasheets:
www.stonesoft.com/en/downloads/datasheets/:
http://www.stonesoft.com/en/downloads/datasheets/

About Stonesoft

Stonesoft Corporation (NASDAQ OMX: SFT1V) delivers software based, dynamic and customer driven network security solutions that secure the information flow and simplify security management. The company's product portfolio consists of the industry's first transformable Security Engine:
http://securityengine.stonesoft.com/, standalone next generation firewalls and intrusion prevention systems, and SSL VPN solutions. At the core lies Stonesoft's Management Center which unifies the management of entire networks.

Stonesoft serves private and public sector organizations requiring high availability, ease of management, compliance, dynamic security and protection of their critical digital assets and business continuity against today's rapidly evolving cyber threats. Stonesoft is a recognized researcher of advanced evasion techniques used in targeted cyber attacks to bypass security.

Stonesoft has the highest customer retention rate in the industry due to low TCO, ease of management, and overall customer excellence. Stonesoft's customer base covers more than 6,500 mid- or large-sized organizations across various industries and geographical markets.

Founded in 1990, the company's track record is well recognized by certifiers, industry analysts and demanding customers. The company's corporate headquarters are based in Helsinki, Finland and North American headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information, visit www.stonesoft.com:
http://www.stonesoft.com/.