McAfee delivers network security strategy

BANGALORE, INDIA: McAfee Inc. today outlined details of its network security strategy, providing enterprises with unmatched network security protection and dramatically lower operational costs. 

The strategy integrates McAfee’s complete network security suite, including network firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, Web and e-mail gateway security and network data loss prevention, with McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO), McAfee’s centralized security management console. The products are backed by McAfee’s industry-leading global threat intelligence, powered by McAfee Avert Labs.

First, McAfee’s approach to securing the network is based on the completeness of vision and breadth of functionality, which distinguishes McAfee’s network portfolio from competitors. McAfee’s approach is to offer the best threat detection and prevention across all protocols and products, tighter product integration, and increased management.

Second, by integrating with McAfee ePO software and global threat intelligence, McAfee Network Security products provide increased visibility into both external and internal threats and vulnerabilities, protecting networks more efficiently and reducing both acquisition and operational costs.  With McAfee’s new network offerings, the company delivers confidence in protection through a market leading network product suite, interlocked with system security, protected by global intelligence and constructed for the future.

Responding to changing customer needs

Changing threat environments, growing economic concerns and the increasing cost of securing an enterprise have forced enterprises to re-think how they approach and manage network security. 

Today, customers are looking for ways to reduce the costs of both network security acquisition and ongoing operations. At the same time, the economic climate that is driving such changes is also creating accelerated threats and targeted attacks from organized cybercriminals.  A recent study conducted by McAfee and Purdue University found that businesses worldwide lost an estimated one trillion dollars annually, due to loss and theft of intellectual property. In 2008 alone, McAfee saw more new malware than in previous history combined.

“From conversations with our customers, it is clear that enterprises spend an enormous amount of time, money and administrative overhead managing multiple security products,” said Dan Ryan, executive vice president, Network Security Business Unit, McAfee. “McAfee’s comprehensive line of network security products eliminates the need for multi-vendor solutions and ensures the absolute lowest total cost of ownership available today.”

Integrated approach required

“Organizations must take a more unified approach to security,” said Chris Christiansen, vice president, Security Practice, IDC. “The days of managing network defense, Web and messaging security and data security as separate activities simply won’t succeed in today’s economic and threat environment. Effective Network Security must have global intelligence and must be integrated into the broader organizational security management infrastructure. Vendors that deliver these levels of integration in a complete suite will be successful as this will lower overall cost of ownership for organizations. For the next three to five years, reducing cost of ownership will drive security investments.”

According to IDC, the worldwide market for network, Web and messaging security was valued at a combined value of approximately $12 billion in 2008 and is forecasted to grow to $17.6 billion in 2012. This represents a 10.1 percent compound annual growth rate over the five year period.

Unique approach improves security management

Today, there are too many vendors, too many appliances, and defenses that don’t address today's attack risks such as malware directed at Web 2.0 applications, the porous perimeter and insider threats.

McAfee’s approach to securing the network is based on the completeness of vision and breadth of functionality, which distinguishes McAfee’s network portfolio from competitors. McAfee’s approach is to offer the best threat detection and prevention across all protocols and products, tighter product integration, and increased management.

McAfee has a strong record of integrating its acquisitions into the ePO software, and is delivering on this strategy within the Network Security Business Unit. McAfee is completing the initial integration of the full Secure Computing enterprise product line into the ePO database, providing a solid proof point of the overall integration progress and success. McAfee is lowering customer management costs and driving operational efficiency through the ePO software integration of McAfee Web Gateway, McAfee Mail Gateway, and McAfee Firewall Enterprise.

McAfee is demonstrating its commitment and strength in the enterprise network firewall market and specifically to the McAfee Firewall Enterprise product line. By delivering a line of next generation firewall solutions that lower operational cost and improve threat protection, McAfee is delivering value that other firewall vendors cannot.

McAfee is changing the game in blended Web 2.0 protection. Web 2.0 threats require comprehensive and cost effective security solutions. McAfee is the only vendor in the market that can deliver world class Web, mail and network DLP solutions at a disruptive price.

The new McAfee Total Protection for Internet Gateways, also integrated with the ePO management, allows customers to make one purchase to acquire Web, mail and basic DLP protection on McAfee appliances, providing industry leading Web 2.0 threat protection with costs savings of 50 percent or more.

With 350 threat researchers, and tens of millions of data collection sensors, McAfee’s global footprint is substantial. The complete McAfee Network Security product line leverages McAfee’s large footprint and impressive threat intelligence capabilities, providing customers with the most insightful and comprehensive view of the evolving threat landscape.