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As hacking techniques and cyberattacks become increasingly sophisticated, enterprises are deploying next-generation firewalls for better security. NGFWs detect and block network attacks by enforcing security policies at the application, port and protocol levels.
Discover some of the top next-generation firewalls on the market below.
Barracuda Networks Inc.’s CloudGen Firewall is a family of physical, virtual and cloud-based appliances that protect and enhance an organization’s network infrastructure. It offers Layer 7 application profiling, intrusion prevention, web filtering, malware and advanced threat protection, antispam protection and network access control. Implementation is easy, even for someone new to this aspect of IT, and support is excellent, according to users on the Gartner review site.
Features include the following:
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. Next-Generation Firewall offers centralized management and role-based administration. The firewall combines perimeter, endpoint, cloud and mobile security, as well as application control, advanced URL filtering and data loss prevention (DLP). Although most users on the Gartner review website say Check Point offers the best firewall product on the market in terms of preventing attacks, some add it is also the most expensive.
Features include the following:
Firepower Next-Generation Firewall, the foundation of Cisco’s integrated security architecture, prevents breaches and can quickly detect and mitigate stealthy attacks using deep visibility and advanced security capabilities, Cisco offers a range of options to address the needs of small and midsize businesses, enterprises, government organizations and service providers. According to users, Cisco’s Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) 500-X series of firewalls are good, easy to use and reliable. Implementation may be complicated, however.
Features of the Cisco ASA 5500-X series with FirePower Services for small to midsize business and branch offices include the following:
Forcepoint NGFW offers consistent security, performance and operations across physical, virtual and cloud systems. It’s designed from the ground up for high availability and scalability, as well as centralized management with full, 360-degree visibility. On the Gartner review site, users like that it can decrypt traffic while safeguarding data, but some users would like Forcepoint to provide more product documentation.
Features include the following:
Fortinet Inc.’s FortiGate enterprise firewalls use security processors and threat intelligence security services from FortiGuard labs to provide high-performance threat protection. FortiGate offers automated visibility into applications, users and networks and also provides security ratings to adopt security best practices.
FortiGate is easy to use and offers a fast and highly intuitive configuration, according to users on the Gartner review website. Users also say IT support could be better.
Features include the following:
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.’s Unified Security Gateway (USG) Next-Generation Firewalls provide comprehensive protection for small to midsize companies and enterprise branch locations. They offer an integrated firewall, intrusion prevention, antivirus and data leak prevention. Huawei identifies more than 6,300 applications, analyzes service traffic in six dimensions and automatically generates security policy suggestions to combat threats. Huawei has been banned from doing business with the U.S., effective mid-August 2018, following a three-month reprieve granted by the U.S. President Donald Trump. Gartner users like the performance of the USG firewalls, but some say they’re too expensive.
Features include the following:
Juniper Networks’ SRX Series firewalls are high-performance products for enterprises and service providers that deliver security, routing and networking capabilities. Specifically for security, the SRX Series offers a next-generation firewall, application visibility and control, IPS and other security services. SRX Series devices enable organizations to protect and control their business assets. Gartner users say the SRX firewall is reliable, with potential room for improvement on some features.
Features include the following:
Palo Alto Networks Inc.’s next-generation firewalls give organizations complete visibility into and precise control over their network traffic and protect them from unknown threats. Palo Alto’s NGFW models range from the low-end PA-200 to the high-end PA-7000. The firewalls combine policy enforcement and cyberthreat prevention through the company’s Content-ID and WildFire sandboxing features. On the TrustRadius review site, users say the PA-800 series is easy to set up and the firewall manages traffic effectively.
Features of the PA-800 for enterprise branch offices and midsize companies include the following:
Editor’s note: Using extensive research into the next-generation firewalls market, TechTarget editors focused on the vendors that lead in market share, plus those that offer traditional and advanced functionality. Our research included data from TechTarget surveys, as well as reports from other respected research firms, including Gartner and TrustRadius.
SonicWall provides next-generation firewalls for businesses of all sizes. The company offers five models in its TZ Entry-Level Firewall Series for SMBs and distributed enterprises. These firewalls all include deep packet inspection, multi-engine sandboxing, antimalware, intrusion prevention, web filtering and secure remote access.
SonicWall’s midrange firewall also includes application intelligence and control, real-time visualization and wireless LAN management. Its firewall for large enterprises offers sandboxing, SSL inspection, intrusion prevention, antimalware, application identification, content filtering, real-time threat handling, centralized management, analytics and reporting. Users have high praise for the company’s TZ series on the TrustRadius website, saying it is well-suited for small and midsize companies and is flexible, as well as easy to configure and manage.
Features of the TZ series include the following:
Sophos Ltd.’s XG Firewall provides visibility into an organization’s network, users and applications directly from the control center. Businesses also get rich on-box reporting and the option to add Sophos iView for centralized reporting across multiple firewalls. The XG Firewall offers protection against the latest advanced threats, including ransomware, cryptomining, bots, worms, hacks, breaches and APTs. Most users on Gartner say Sophos XG Firewall is one of best on the market, as it protects the network from external and internal threats. Some say support is lacking, however.
Features include the following:
Buyer’s Handbook: How to select and implement a next-gen firewall
Up Next
This buyer’s guide examines next-generation firewalls and how to select the correct one for your organization based on comparison of product features.
Learn the advantages of next-generation firewalls that protect enterprise networks from attacks and intrusion, as well as the differences between NGFWs and traditional firewalls.
These six key factors will help your company determine the best NGFW product for your organization’s needs.
Compare leading next-generation firewalls to help find the option that best fits your IT environment and security needs.
Explore some of the top NGFWs currently on the market — based on features and user reviews — to help you make a buying decision
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