Windows NT firewalls unveiled
Network Associates and Axent each announce new versions to guard corporate networks from unauthorized intrusions.
Network Associates' Gauntlet firewall combines two methods of building firewalls, packet inspection and application proxies. Axent's firewall, which integrates a virtual private network (VPN) server, lets a network administrator manage multiple firewalls from a single Windows NT workstation.
Both firewalls were acquired from in the last 10 months. Network Associates picked up Gauntlet in February with Trusted Information Systems; Axent bought Raptor Systems and its Raptor firewall in December 1997.
Network Associates positions its new Gauntlet Firewall version 3.0 for Windows NT as a new type of product that combines both packet filtering and application proxies. By doing so, Network Associates claims a tenfold improvement in Gauntlet for NT performance over version 2.1.
Describing the new version as an "adaptive proxy," Network Associates said the product improves both speed and security and has applied for a patent on the design. A white paper on the new adaptive proxy technology is available at the company's Web site.
"We eliminate the need to compromise. You can have the best of both worlds," said Wes Wasson, director of product marketing for Network Associates' security division. "There is no more trade-off because you can have speed and security."
The new Gauntlet also protects against spam and blocks efforts to relay spam messages through the firewall to other users, masking the true origin.
Gauntlet 3.0 for Windows NT is due to ship October 31. The new version will ship free to current Gauntlet users and as part of Network Associates' security offering, Net Tools Secure. Unix version 4.2 is set to ship in December.
Pricing for the Net Tools Secure suite begins at $56 per node for 5,000 users. A two-year subscription includes the firewall, VPN, PGP encryption, authentication, vulnerability scanning, intrusion protection, and antivirus security.
Axent's Raptor firewall and VPN can be managed from a single console and support multiple processor machines. It also blocks against attacks on Microsoft and Netscape email clients and integrates anti-spamming technology to keep unwanted email off a network.
It adds proxies for H.323 and Ping proxies have been added for multimedia and Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP). It also includes RealAudio bandwidth limits, password aging for authenticated users, and automatic port blocking and scanning.
Axent's Raptor Firewall 6.0 runs on Windows NT and Solaris will be available by year's end through Axent or its channel partners. Pricing with the VPN option starts at $2,495 for 25 users.