Fortinet Releases Carrier-Specific, Multi-Threat Security Platform as a Service
New FortiCarrier operating system and hardware platform delivers carrier-grade capabilities for VoIP, mobile content security
Note: ESJ’s editors carefully choose vendor-issued press releases about new or upgraded products and services. We have edited and/or condensed this release to highlight key features but make no claims as to the accuracy of the this vendor's statements.
Fortinet, a network security and unified threat management solutions vendor, has released a carrier-grade version of its FortiGate multi-threat security platform, integrating functionality to help carriers, service providers, managed security service providers, and enterprises better protect their own networks and those of their customers through cloud-based security delivered as a service. Fortinet’s FortiCarrier platform includes the capabilities of its FortiGate line plus a specialized “superset” of carrier-class features, including securing voice-over-IP infrastructures and mobile operator content as well as enabling automated provisioning and management of security policies on a per-user basis. In addition, FortiCarrier provides the intelligent infrastructure to help service providers deliver security as a service to their customers through (among other things) a fully virtualized offering to support nine consolidated security features.
The new FortiCarrier features are driven by three key trends: the convergence of content types including data, voice, video, and mobile content onto a single network; the proliferation of mobile threats; and the growing popularity of the security-as-a-service business model. The security implications of these trends are addressed through new enhancements to the FortiOS Carrier 4.0 operating system and supported by the FortiCarrier-3810A and -5001A-DW hardware platforms.
FortiCarrier offers dual benefits -- helping customers with CAPEX and OPEX savings for securing their own networks and enabling a business model for a recurring revenue stream with managed security services. This is enabled by the numerous carrier-specific capabilities Fortinet has added to the FortiCarrier product line, including:
- Dynamic Security Profiles: Service providers can apply automated security policies on a per-user basis and reduce manual configurations, which lowers operational expense. This becomes increasingly valuable for service providers as the growing popularity of managed security services could mean a significant increase in management complexities to support thousands of customers, all with differing security policies.
- Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Security: With the convergence of voice networks onto IP networks, SIP Security protects voice calls exposed to the Internet. FortiOS Carrier contains a SIP firewall which integrates seamlessly with Fortinet’s intrusion prevention service to protect voice infrastructure from rogue traffic and malicious threats.
- Mobile Provider Security: The growing precedence of mobile threats is requiring specific attention to securing mobile content on the millions of handsets in operation today. FortiOS Carrier features three capabilities specific to mobile providers: (1) Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) antivirus and antispam engine to help eliminate malware and spam in messages that use the MMS standard, (2) mobile content filtering to enforce appropriate use policies, and (3) a GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) firewall that is designed for compatibility with 3GPP specifications. The combination of these features offers protection for both the mobile provider’s infrastructure and for end-user devices.
Additional information is available at http://www.fortinet.com/products/forticarrier.