Network Threat Detection
GlobeNewswire | October 18, 2023
Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT), the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, today announced the expansion of its SASE Points-of-Presence (POPs) to new locations through a partnership with Google Cloud. The partnership allows Fortinet to leverage Google Cloud’s global network edge locations closest to their regions of presence, which deliver dedicated interconnect and 99.99% service availability, to accelerate the expansion of Fortinet’s Universal SASE solution.
Single-vendor SASE is a critical architecture organizations adopt to connect their hybrid workforces securely. A robust network of SASE POPs that are scalable and globally available is crucial to delivering a superior user experience while enabling a strong security posture.
By leveraging Google Cloud, Fortinet Universal SASE is even better positioned to serve a more extensive global footprint, ensuring that customers can seamlessly connect and secure their hybrid workforces to critical applications, said Michael Xie, Founder, President, and Chief Technology Officer of Fortinet. This partnership will expand our global POP resources and accelerate customer adoption of Fortinet’s Universal SASE solution. And because our SD-WAN solution is natively integrated with our SASE offering, Fortinet’s global SD-WAN customers now have an even broader ability to easily adopt integrated cloud-delivered security to implement a comprehensive Universal SASE solution.
“Organizations worldwide rely on the Google Cloud for critical networking and access,” said Muninder Sambi, Vice President and GM of Networking at Google Cloud. “Our expanded partnership with Fortinet can enable high uptime for customers looking to support their hybrid workforces with Fortinet’s SASE solution, along with the advantages of using Google Cloud’s Cross-Cloud Network, which include lower costs and improved application experiences.”
Converging Networking and Security with Fortinet Universal SASE
Fortinet’s Universal SASE solution uniquely converges networking and security to support today’s hybrid workforce, expanding network edges and new microbranches to enable secure access to applications while providing high ROI through consolidation and improved digital user experience. Fortinet’s solution includes an extended portfolio of critical technologies and services that enable organizations to adopt a zero-trust security posture by effectively applying and monitoring context-based policies regardless of the resource a user is accessing. Fortinet Universal SASE offers a high-performance and scalable cloud network with best-in-class AI-powered security, unified management, and end-to-end digital experience monitoring to ensure secure access to web, corporate, and SaaS applications.
Fortinet is the pioneer and leader of secure SD-WAN, the foundation of its Universal SASE solution. Universal SASE uses the same FortiOS operating system and AI-powered security services as its secure SD-WAN and cloud-delivered security service edge (SSE) solutions. This unique integrated approach extends secure web gateway (SWG), zero-trust network access (ZTNA), cloud access security broker (CASB), and Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS) solutions to its Universal SASE solution, enabling seamless connectivity, consistent end-to-end threat protection, and optimal user experience.
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Enterprise Security
VentureBeat | September 27, 2023
Microsoft announced a series of new enterprise security features today that use artificial intelligence (AI) to help defend Windows 11 against increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. The tech giant claims its new AI capabilities will reduce security incidents by 60% and firmware attacks by 300% for businesses using the latest version of its software.
Microsoft’s vice president of enterprise and OS security, David Weston, explains in a company blog post that was published today specifically how AI is being used to fortify Windows 11 against sophisticated attacks, ranging from malware to firmware threats, and even nation-state attacks.
At the heart of this AI-focused security upgrade is the integration of Microsoft’s Pluton Security Processor and Secured-core PCs. Both systems leverage AI algorithms to isolate sensitive data and provide defense against potential threats. IT professionals should note that these Secured-core PCs are reported to be 60% more resilient to malware than non-Secured-core PCs, a significant improvement in system defenses.
Microsoft’s AI strategy also appears to be forward-thinking, with the company starting to adopt memory safe languages like Rust for traditional attack targets. Rust’s memory safety features without garbage collection make it an ideal language for building reliable and efficient systems, further multiplying the cybersecurity benefits.
The end of passwords? Microsoft’s groundbreaking move
Perhaps most notable among today’s announcements is Microsoft’s push towards a passwordless future, a move that could fundamentally alter the landscape of cybersecurity.
Microsoft’s AI will now be used to develop and implement passkeys — unique, unguessable cryptographic credentials securely stored on a user’s device, which have the potential to replace traditional multi-factor authentication. This is a substantial leap forward in phishing protection, making it considerably more difficult for hackers to exploit stolen passwords.
Microsoft says that its AI system analyzes more than 65 trillion security signals per day— with more than 4,000 password attacks every second — to identify suspicious login attempts and request additional identity verification when needed in the new system.
The company also revealed a new capability called Config Refresh that relies on AI to detect and revert unwanted changes to device policies in near real-time. This allows IT teams to lock down device settings while leveraging intelligence to accommodate legitimate policy updates.
Microsoft pioneers a new cybersecurity path with AI
The company’s commitment to AI solutions aligns with its longstanding strategy of positioning itself as a leader in enterprise computing. By weaving AI into the fabric of Windows 11, Microsoft is demonstrating its commitment to providing businesses with secure, reliable, and forward-thinking solutions.
Business analysts see this as a clear indicator of Microsoft’s strategy to leverage its AI prowess to drive growth and cement its position in the enterprise data and AI market. Given the increasing importance of cybersecurity in the modern business landscape, Microsoft’s investment in AI could pay significant dividends.
However, the real test of these new AI-powered features will be their effectiveness against real-world threats. As cyber threats continue to evolve, so too must our defenses. If Microsoft’s AI enhancements can live up to their promise, they will represent a significant advance in cybersecurity and a potent tool in the fight against cybercrime.
As AI continues to transform enterprise data and security, it’s clear that companies like Microsoft are leading the charge. By harnessing the power of AI, Microsoft is not just shaping its future but also the future of cybersecurity as a whole. Only time will tell how these developments play out, but one thing is certain: the era of AI-driven cybersecurity is here, and Microsoft is at its helm.
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Cloud Security
Fortinet | September 05, 2023
Fortinet, the worldwide cybersecurity leader driving the integration of networking and security, has announced new enhancements to its market-leading single-vendor Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) offering. FortiSASE already shields the hybrid workforce using a unified agent and includes SD-WAN integration for the branch. This solidifies FortiSASE's position as the market's most comprehensive offering.
The list of Fortinet extended SASE solutions:
SASE for Microbranches and IoT/OT Devices:
FortiSASE now offers expanded integrations within the Fortinet wireless local-area network (WLAN) suite to aid organizations in securing microbranches and associated devices. FortiAP wireless access points intelligently offload traffic from microbranches to a SASE point of presence (POP) for scalable security inspection of all devices, including IoT and OT devices. This integration also implies that the Fortinet WLAN portfolio can be managed by the same straightforward, cloud-based management console customers already use for FortiSASE.
Enhanced Data Loss Prevention Service:
As a component of its cloud-delivered security services, FortiSASE includes the FortiGuard-powered Data Loss Prevention (DLP) service to safeguard sensitive data across the entire hybrid environment. This service now consists of a broader range of file types, data identifiers, and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications, along with sophisticated data matching techniques to prevent accidental data breaches. By constant DLP enhancement, Fortinet provides organizations with a detailed understanding of their cloud applications and the tools needed to defend against new threats effectively.
End-to-end Digital Experience Monitoring:
For comprehensive network and SaaS application monitoring, Fortinet's Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM) solution integrates with FortiSASE to offer insights across users, Fortinet global SASE POPs, and the performance of SaaS applications such as WebEx, Office365, and Dropbox. In addition, this integration enable endpoint monitoring to provide end-to-end visibility, empowering IT teams with the data they need to decrease resolution times and ensure a positive user experience.
Leveraging FortiGuard AI-Powered Security Services, Fortinet's SASE provides an extensive set of features, including unified security, streamlined management, and end-to-end Data Edge Management (DEM). This is accomplished by seamlessly integrating cloud-based security components, such as a cloud access security broker, secure web gateway, and Firewall-as-a-Service, in conjunction with networking functionalities through Software-Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN).
In addition, the solution incorporates Universal Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) capabilities to ensure resilient and secure connectivity to and from the internet, privately hosted applications, and Software as a Service (SaaS) applications.
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