Check Point adds security, enhances management of VPN-1 Edge devices

Check Point is upgrading the software in its small office firewall/VPN appliances that adds security features and makes them more manageable.

The company is loading a version of its NGX software onto VPN-1 Edge devices, which are designed for small offices. With NGX, the devices can support virus filtering at the gateway as well as perform intrusion prevention.

These features can be updated via a subscription service from Check Point called SmartDefense, which keeps current the device’s library of virus signatures and other attack markers.

Also significant is the ability provided by NGX for a single management console to update many devices, making the VPN-1 Edge boxes more suitable for companies with a lot of remote offices where they act as the WAN router, firewall and VPN gateway. Without this capability, updates would have to be done box by box, a tedious process that’s prone to error.

Some of the VPN-1 Edge models come with an integrated wireless access point as well, and these are being upgraded. They now support the WPA2 standard security as well as Wireless Multimedia Quality of Service. The latter gives priority to VoIP and other time-sensitive applications as it flows through the access point.

This upgrade is part of Check Point’s architecture to bring more common features, particularly updates and sharing of data, to the vendor’s product lines that include internal security gateways, SSL VPNs and event correlation software.

The NGX software for VPN-1 Edge devices is available now. Pricing for the devices starts at $600.