Netgear is embedding firewall software gained in its acquisition of Exium into its router platform to eliminate the need for separate firewall appliances or virtual machines at branch locations.
Large enterprises aren’t the only targets of cybercriminals. Small and mid-sized organizations face sophisticated threats but often lack the resources and expertise to deploy enterprise-grade security infrastructure. That’s why Netgear acquired SASE vendor Exium back in June of this year. Today, the company is revealing how its integration plans are coming along and where it is embedding and extending Exium’s SASE security to help SMEs.
The first integration of the Exium security stack will be into the Netgear PR60x router series. The approach eliminates the traditional separation between networking and security management that forces SMEs to juggle multiple vendors and interfaces.
“The thing that we can do that we were not able to do before is leverage that networking stack that Netgear has. We have total control on that, [such as] how you configure your VLANs, network segmentation, and so on,” Farooq Khan, founder of Exium and vice president of software security at Netgear, told Network World. “So that gives us a lot more freedom, making the combined solution a lot more powerful.”
Two-track architecture covers cloud and edge security
Exium delivers security through two parallel architectures that address different deployment scenarios. The SASE track runs the full security stack in the cloud. Agents on Windows, Mac and mobile endpoints tunnel all traffic through cloud-based inspection points. The architecture supports AI-powered zero-trust network access (ZTNA), secure web gateway functionality and SD-WAN capabilities without requiring on-premises hardware beyond basic connectivity.
The cyber gateway is a full-featured firewall designed to run on general-purpose x86 hardware, as a virtual machine or in public cloud environments. It provides the same security controls as the SASE offering but processes traffic at the network edge rather than in the cloud. Organizations often deploy both architectures simultaneously, using SASE for remote workers and the cyber gateway for branch offices.
The PR60x integration focuses on the cyber gateway component. Netgear is embedding the firewall software directly into the router platform. This eliminates the need for separate firewall appliances or virtual machines at branch locations.
Unified management through Insight platform
The integration’s technical advantage centers on Netgear’s Insight management platform.
Insight already manages networking functions across Netgear’s enterprise product line, including VLAN configuration, network segmentation, quality of service policies and wireless controller functions. Adding security controls to the same interface means network administrators can configure firewall rules, zero-trust policies and threat prevention settings alongside routing and switching parameters.
The unified approach addresses a common SME pain point. Separate security and networking tools often create configuration mismatches. A VLAN segmentation policy configured in the switch may not align with firewall zone definitions. Security teams and network teams working in different interfaces increase the risk of these gaps. The Insight integration ensures VLAN configurations, network segments and security zones remain synchronized because they’re defined in a single interface.
Khan noted the platform provides capabilities that Exium couldn’t deliver as a standalone vendor. Direct control over the underlying networking stack enables tighter integration between Layer 2/3 functions and security policies. Organizations can define micro-segmentation strategies that span both switching and firewall functions without worrying about vendor interoperability.
Phased rollout extends to full product line over time
The PR60x integration represents the first phase of a broader strategy. Netgear plans to embed Exium security across its enterprise portfolio through 2027. The roadmap includes Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7 access points, AV over IP products and 5G mobile hotspots.
The mobile hotspot integration addresses SD-WAN failover requirements. SMEs deploying SD-WAN typically need cellular backup for primary internet connections. Adding cellular failover usually requires third-party hardware or complex integrations. Netgear’s 5G hotspots will provide native failover capabilities when paired with Exium’s SD-WAN features.
The acquisition shifted Exium’s product development priorities. As an independent company, Exium was expanding into extended detection and response capabilities with AI-powered threat hunting and automated incident response. That development continues, but the immediate engineering focus is product integration and ensuring the security stack works seamlessly across Netgear’s hardware platforms.
“For the SMEs, there’s no stack available at the cost and simplicity that SMEs need. And the security and networking are two separate things, right?” Khan said. “We are bringing those together, tightly integrating networking and security and simplifying it for the SMEs.”
