WatchGuard XTM 8 Series security appliance

WatchGuard has released the XTM 8 Series multifunction security appliance.

The appliance includes next-generation firewall (NGFW) capabilities, including advanced firewalling, Application Control and intrusion prevention system (IPS).

It offers up to 5 Gbps firewall throughput, making it suitable for networks of 1000 to 5000 users. With Application Control and IPS activated, the appliance achieves a faster-than-line-speed 1.2 Gbps throughput.

The appliance features firewall technology including stateful packet inspection, deep packet inspection and proxy technology. With its built-in application proxies, the appliance can natively stop blended threats, fragmented and malformed packet attacks, spyware, malware, denial of service and other types of threats and attacks.

Application Control provides granular control over Web 2.0 applications, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. It enables the firewall to identify and control nearly 2000 Web 2.0 and social media applications.

Additionally, the appliance offers protection against threats that attempt to hide in encrypted HTTPS data streams. By way of HTTPS proxy technology that intercepts, scans and rebuilds HTTPS data streams, administrators can audit, report and protect users from receiving dangerous file types.

The appliance provides application-level security for SIP and H.323 protocols. These security capabilities conceal business VoIP systems and harden them to repel directory harvesting attacks, input validation hacks (buffer overflows) and other VoIP threats.

The appliances provide application inspection as well as port and protocol identification to ensure application traffic is valid and safe. Additionally, the HTTPS inspection works in tandem with IM and P2P application blocking, which can foil bots that use encryption to evade detection.