Maximize Your Network Security with the Check Point Next Generation Firewall

In a world where cyber threats are increasingly sophisticated, the capabilities of your firewall can mean the difference between secure operations and a damaging breach. The Check Point Next Generation Firewall answers this challenge with cutting-edge threat prevention, AI-augmented security, and pivotal zero-day attack resilience. This article cuts through the technical jargon to show you exactly how it fortifies your network’s defenses.

SourceIT is a Check Point Software Authorised Reseller in Singapore, offering Check Point full range of services including Network Security, Endpoint Security, Cloud Security Mobile Security, Data Security and Cybersecurity Management Services.

Key Takeaways

• Check Point’s Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) provides robust, adaptable security tailored to modern cyber threats, featuring application and identity-based controls, superior throughputs, and AI-powered technology for enhanced threat prevention and resilience.

• The NGFW by Check Point delivers comprehensive network security, offering specific solutions for data centers, IoT, and edge protection, along with advanced features for high availablility, on-premises resiliency, and cloud-level expansion capabilities.

• Check Point’s NGFWs not only defend against sophisticated fifth-generation cyber attacks through increased visibility and threat intelligence provided by ThreatCloud AI but also streamline security management with the R80.40 software’s automation, orchestration, and integration across diverse environments.

Exploring Check Point's Next Generation Firewall

Check Point’s NGFW is specifically designed to address the multifaceted security challenges we face in the current cyber threat landscape. It provides robust protection against a wide range of threats, ensuring that your organization’s network remains secure. The firewall’s application control feature allows organizations to enforce security policies specifically tailored to application usage, providing a layer of customization that sets it apart from standard firewall solutions.

However, the customization doesn’t stop there. The NGFW goes a step further with its identity-based inspection capability, offering superior security for users. This feature utilizes user roles and permissions to ensure proper enforcement of security policies, providing granular access control that goes beyond the basics.

Check Point’s NGFW serves as a security gateway, custom-built to suit your organization’s specific requirements.

Superior Threat Prevention Throughput

When it comes to securing your network, speed is of the essence. That’s why Check Point’s NGFW delivers up to 1,000 Gbps of Layer 1-7 advanced threat prevention. This high throughput, combined with specific threat prevention throughput up to 63.5 Gbps and a 99.8% block rate, provides a robust defense for your data center.

However, the firewall’s efficacy isn’t solely about speed - it’s also about comprehensive protection. The firewall offers a dedicated HTTPS policy layer to enhance the security of encrypted traffic against advanced attacks. This, coupled with the enhanced SSL Inspection technology in R80.40, significantly boosts the speed, efficacy, and security of scrutinizing encrypted communications.

AI-Powered Quantum Force Technology

Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a pivotal role in enhancing threat detection and response, and Check Point’s NGFW is no exception. It integrates quantum force ai powered technology to provide a more robust and effective defense against cyber threats.

This integrated AI technology is optimized for Industrial Control Systems (ICS) security, providing support for SCADA and related protocols. Furthermore, it facilitates secure high-speed 5G connectivity for ICS and deployments in harsh environmental conditions. This ensures that even the most complex and demanding environments can benefit from the advanced protection provided by Check Point’s NGFW.

Unmatched Zero Day Protection

In the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats, zero-day attacks have become increasingly common. To counter this, Check Point’s NGFW provides unmatched zero day protection while maintaining robust network performance and high throughput. This ensures that data centers operate securely even under the most demanding conditions.

The integration of ThreatCloud AI into Check Point’s security ecosystem enhances its zero day protection capabilities. This technology informs and updates prevention solutions with the latest threat intelligence, keeping your organization one step ahead of cyber threats. With an industry-leading zero day protection rate of 99.8%, Check Point’s Quantum Next Generation Firewalls and Spark security gateways demonstrate a superior ability to respond to new vulnerabilities.

Advanced Security for Diverse Network Environments

One of the key attributes of Check Point’s NGFW is its adaptability. It offers:

• Advanced threat prevention

• Customizable solutions tailored to the diverse environments in which it operates

• Accommodation of the specific needs of organizations in critical infrastructure

• Bolstering of internal network security through network segmentation

Check Point’s NGFW is up to the task.

Enhancing internal network security is achieved by:

• Segmenting the network into zones

• Leveraging a zero-trust security approach to provide in-depth defense and increased internal traffic visibility

• Clustering firewalls with up to five nodes for environments requiring high availability

• Positioning the firewalls at the network perimeter to enforce the boundary between internal networks and the public Internet

• Offering complete data flow visibility and proactive blocking capabilities to prevent intrusions

These measures ensure continuous network protection and service.

Data Center Defense Dynamics

To effectively protect high-demand data centers, Check Point offers the Quantum 26000 and 28000 Security Gateways. These are engineered to meet the complex security requirements of these environments, including support for hybrid cloud environments. Providing up to 30 Gbps of threat prevention, these models are built with telco-grade hardware to ensure reliability and scalability.

Beyond their robust security capabilities, these models also promise to:

• Simplify operational management

• Reduce times by up to 80% for data center security operations, facilitating a more efficient security management process

• Offer on-premises installations cloud-like elasticity and resiliency, mitigating the security vulnerabilities typically associated with public cloud services

IoT Devices and Network Edge Protection

With the rapid proliferation of IoT devices, securing these devices has become a paramount concern for many organizations. To address this, Check Point’s R80.40 management console brings automated policy enforcement specifically tailored for IoT devices. This ensures that these devices, often seen as the weakest links in a network, are adequately protected.

Specialized support for SCADA and ICS protocols allows Check Point’s IoT security solutions to manage up to 400 Mbps of threat prevention throughput, catering to the networking needs of IoT environments. Furthermore, the NGFWs from Check Point are capable of decrypting and inspecting HTTPS encrypted tunnels, a crucial feature for revealing hidden malware and managing traffic at the network edge.

Scaling Up: Security at Hyperscale

Network security solutions should adapt and expand as your organization grows. Check Point’s NGFWs ensure scalability in data centers with firewall clustering and modular flexibility, laying a robust foundation for hyperscale networks. These features allow for on-demand security expansion and deliver up to 15 Gbps of threat prevention performance to accommodate business growth.

Check Point Maestro and Quantum Security Gateways orchestrate dynamic scalability, enabling immediate expansion with throughputs up to 3 Terabits per second. This ensures seamless security at hyperscale, providing your organization with the flexibility and scalability it needs to grow without compromising on security.

Cloud-Level Expansion Capabilities

Check Point’s NGFWs go beyond the capabilities of traditional firewalls by offering on-demand threat prevention performance for cloud environments. The Quantum 6900 Security Gateway, in particular, exemplifies this with its cloud-level resiliency and expansion features. These features include 100% SSDs, dual power supplies for redundancy, and connectivity options up to 8 x 100 GbE.

The hyperscale network security solutions from Check Point are designed to maximize resiliency using intelligent load balancing and multiple firewalls in a cluster. This results in a more cost-effective solution compared to legacy designs, as it utilizes all compute resources in the cluster, avoiding unutilized standby modes.

On-Premises Resiliency Features

For organizations with on-premises deployments, Check Point’s Maestro HyperSync feature offers the following benefits:

• Enables the stacking of security gateways to enhance network performance and resiliency

• Allows for rapid expansion through clustering

• Ensures a scalable security infrastructure that meets growing organizational demands

Check Point’s NGFWs also offer modular flexibility to adapt seamlessly to the varying needs of on-premises deployments. This ensures system resilience, an essential factor in maintaining continuous network security and preventing downtime.

Unified Security Management with R80.40

Check Point’s NGFWs improve visibility by incorporating user and machine identity into the security policy, accurately reflecting the business’s intent. This feature allows for more effective security management, as it provides a clearer picture of the network’s user activity and potential vulnerabilities.

With the R80.40 software, Check Point introduced over 100 new features to improve protection, streamline operation efficiency, and boost productivity. Some of the key updates include:

• Enhanced threat prevention capabilities

• Improved management and monitoring tools

• Advanced automation and orchestration features

• Enhanced cloud security integration

These updates showcase Check Point’s commitment to continuous innovation, ensuring that their NGFWs remain at the forefront of network security technology.

Streamlining Network Security Operations

Maintaining a secure network necessitates efficient security management. Check Point’s hyperscale network security tools streamline firewall management by treating clusters of firewalls as a single entity, simplifying the process of scaling capacity or performing system upgrades.

Beyond this, the R80.40 management console’s SmartTasks feature provides automation for routine tasks, enhancing operational efficiency. This, coupled with the introduction of over 50 new management APIs, facilitates streamlined integration and automation, supporting more efficient security operations.

Integrating Across Networks, Clouds, and IoT

Check Point recognizes the importance of integration in today’s diverse networking environments. To this end, they recommend updating to R81.20 for optimized integration capabilities across networks, clouds, and IoT environments.

This update ensures seamless integration across various platforms, enabling organizations to manage their diverse networks more effectively. Whether it’s a traditional network, a cloud environment, or a network of IoT devices, the updated software ensures that all components can be managed through a unified platform.

Proactive Defense Against Fifth-Generation Cyber Attacks

The growing sophistication of cyber attacks necessitates the development of more proactive defense mechanisms against cyber attack. Check Point’s next generation firewall ngfw is designed to provide in-depth network traffic visibility to identify and prevent modern Gen V cyberattacks. This ensures that your organization can stay ahead of cyber threats and maintain the integrity of its network.

Through increased visibility into network traffic, Check Point’s NGFWs offer the following benefits:

• Identify and neutralize threats before they inflict damage

• Proactive approach to security

• Ensuring that your network remains safe from the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats.

The Shield Against Malware and Application-Layer Attacks

Check Point’s NGFWs incorporate a variety of features to provide layered defenses against complex threats. These features include:

• Application layer inspection

• Intrusion prevention system (IPS)

• Antimalware

• Sandboxing

• Encrypted traffic inspection

Together, these features provide a comprehensive shield against malware and application-layer attacks.

The integrated IPS significantly enhances the ability to identify and block network-based exploits targeting vulnerable applications and systems. Furthermore, the Quantum Security Gateways come with Check Point’s SandBlast Network, delivering unified security and protection against sophisticated multi-vector GenV cyber attacks.

Collaborative Intelligence with ThreatCloud

Threat intelligence plays a crucial role in enhancing network security, and Check Point’s ThreatCloud AI is at the forefront of this field. Leveraging advanced predictive intelligence engines and a vast sensor network, ThreatCloud AI provides up-to-the-minute information on emerging attack vectors and hacking techniques.

With the ability to detect approximately 2,000 daily attacks by new, previously unidentified threats, ThreatCloud AI offers an invaluable resource for bolstering your network’s defenses. Through its collaboration with Check Point Research and various external feeds, ThreatCloud AI integrates over 50 engines packed with AI-based features to neutralize novel threats and enhance security.

Connect with Experts

Check Point invites enterprises to engage their experts for customized consultations and advice on NGFW implementation. Whether you’re in the United States, with corporate headquarters located in Redwood City, California, or elsewhere in the world, Check Point has a broad network of offices globally to provide support across various regions.

Regardless of your organization’s size or industry, Check Point’s team of experts is ready to provide personalized consultations and guidance, ensuring that you can effectively implement their Next Generation Firewalls. Whether you need help with setup, ongoing management, or simply have questions about the product, Check Point’s team is ready and willing to assist.

Summary

Check Point’s Next Generation Firewalls provide a comprehensive solution to the complex security challenges presented by today’s digital landscape. With advanced features such as application control, identity-based inspection, AI-powered technology, and proactive defense against fifth-generation cyberattacks, these firewalls offer robust protection for your network.

Whether your organization operates on a traditional network, a cloud environment, or a network of IoT devices, Check Point has a solution for you. With their team of experts ready to provide personalized consultations and guidance, you can rest assured that your network is in good hands.

Frequently Asked Questions

What unique features does Check Point's Next Generation Firewall offer?

Check Point's Next Generation Firewall offers unique features such as application control, identity-based inspection, AI-powered Quantum Force technology, and proactive defense against fifth-generation cyberattacks, ensuring robust security for your network.

How does Check Point's NGFW provide superior threat prevention throughput?

Check Point's NGFW provides superior threat prevention throughput by delivering up to 1,000 Gbps of Layer 1-7 advanced threat prevention, with specific threat prevention throughput up to 63.5 Gbps and a 99.8% block rate. This ensures robust protection against various threats.

How does Check Point's NGFW enhance network security in diverse environments?

Check Point's NGFW enhances network security in diverse environments by providing customizable solutions tailored to specific needs and enhancing internal network security through segmentation. Additionally, it can be clustered for high availability.

How does Check Point's NGFW ensure scalability?

Check Point's NGFW ensures scalability through features like firewall clustering and modular flexibility, enabling on-demand security expansion and delivering up to 15 Gbps of threat prevention performance.

How does Check Point's NGFW defend against fifth-generation cyberattacks?

Check Point's NGFW defends against fifth-generation cyberattacks by providing in-depth network traffic visibility to identify and prevent modern Gen V cyberattacks, and offering layered defenses against complex threats.