New features converge networking and security to further unify SD-WAN, ZTNA, SWG, NGFW, and more, enabling consistent, coordinated security across any network edge at-scale
Fortinet released FortiOS 7.2, the latest upgrades to its operating system and the foundation of the Fortinet Security Fabric. Over 300 new features enhance Fortinet’s ability to converge security at every network edge combined with the performance and scale needed to detect and prevent threats across an organization’s entire infrastructure.
John Maddison, EVP of Products and CMO at Fortinet said, “Fortinet continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in converging networking and security to enable customers and partners to safely and effectively compete in today’s digital marketplace. Networking and security can no longer be treated as separate strategies. The present and foreseeable future consists of hybrid networks, and only with security at their core will those networks be able to adapt at speed and scale to secure every edge. Over 20 years of prioritizing organic research and development have positioned Fortinet as the driving force behind cybersecurity innovation. And now, with the release of FortiOS 7.2, Fortinet is setting new industry standards for converged networking and security.”
Hybrid Networks and Accelerating Business Demands
Growing and scaling digital business while protecting a distributed infrastructure has never been more critical or complex. Networks today are hybrid by design – spread across on-premises, multiple edges, and the cloud – and they will continue to be the enabler for digital acceleration. According to Brandon Butler, Research Manager, Enterprise Networks at IDC, “The network is foundational for enabling the secure, scalable, and efficient use of cloud, edge, and IoT applications. Hybrid networks are needed for enterprises today, allowing applications and workflows to move seamlessly across every edge so critical information can be accessed by any user or device from any location. Combined management of advanced networking and security becomes a powerful enabler of digital acceleration.”
FortiOS 7.2 delivers new AI-powered FortiGuard security services, enhancements to the only converged networking and security platform available today, and further consolidation of security point products across networks, endpoints, and clouds.
These enhancements enable FortiOS to further protect today’s hybrid networks in the face of an escalating threat landscape while also helping organizations achieve digital acceleration.
New services include:
- Inline Sandbox: This innovation transforms a traditional detection sandbox capability into real-time in-network prevention to stop both known and unknown malware, with minimal impact on operations. The result is better ransomware protection when compared to solutions that allow suspicious files into the network and then must chase down malware once it’s been identified.
- Advanced Device Protection: This service automatically discovers and segments OT and IoT devices based on their unique network features, maintains asset inventory, and uses pattern matching to enforce appropriate policies and automate remediation. This service is offered on our NGFW solution and at the LAN Edge through integration with FortiNAC, including NAC playbooks that enable detection and response close to the protected asset.
- Outbreak Detection: Enables faster response to outbreak attacks through immediate alerts and threat hunting scripts that automatically identify and respond to new threats to provide SOC teams with faster time to detection and remediation.
- SOC-as-a-Service: Free up SOC teams to focus on major executions by offloading all tier-one analysis to Fortinet’s global team of experts. This attached service is conveniently priced at a fixed cost for NGFW deployments.
- Dedicated IPS: Designed for finance and other regulated deployments, this solution enables migration from separate hardware to NGFW while preserving operations and compliance practices.
- Inline CASB: This new service for FortiGate NGFWs integrates with the FortiClient Fabric Agent to enable inline ZTNA traffic inspection and ZTNA posture check.
New AI-Powered FortiGuard Security Services
Fortinet’s rich suite of FortiGuard Security Services is powered by FortiGuard Labs and natively integrated across the Fortinet Security Fabric to deliver automated and coordinated security in real-time. FortiGuard services are powered by trusted machine learning and artificial intelligence models informed by unified data sets feeding from networks, endpoints, and clouds, rich independent research, and comprehensive industry collaboration. In FortiOS 7.2, Fortinet expands its offering with multiple new services and enhancements to stop known and unknown threats faster and more effectively than ever before.
Key enhancements to existing services include:
- Fabric Rating: This serviceguides customers as they design, implement, and continually advance their organization’s security posture, taking into account audit checks, the identification of critical vulnerabilities, and configuration weaknesses.
- Web Security: AI-driven URL, DNS, and video filtering services provide comprehensive threat protection to address various threats, including ransomware, credential theft, phishing, and other web-borne attacks.
Enhancements to the Only Converged Networking and Security Platform Available Today
Fortinet’s security-driven networking approach is uniquely designed for modern networking technologies across all network edges. This ensures that AI-powered security functions can be built-in to enable secure digital acceleration. FortiOS 7.2 further unifies the convergence of networking and security across NGFW, SD-WAN, LAN Edge, 5G, ZTNA, and more.
