Cutting-edge threat prevention with superior performance

Today’s network threats are highly evasive and increasingly difficult to identify using traditional methods of detection. Staying ahead of sophisticated attacks requires a more modern approach that heavily leverages security intelligence in the cloud. Without that cloud intelligence, gateway security solutions can’t keep pace with today’s complex threats. NSA series next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) integrate two advanced security technologies to deliver cutting-edge threat prevention that keeps your network one step ahead. Enhancing SonicWall’s multi-engine Capture Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) service is our patent-pending Real-Time Deep Memory Inspection (RTDMI) technology. The RTDMI engine proactively detects and blocks mass market, zero-day threats and unknown malware by inspecting directly in memory. Because of the real-time architecture, SonicWall RTDMI technology is precise, minimizes false positives, and identifies and mitigates sophisticated attacks where the malware’s weaponry is exposed for less than 100 nanoseconds. In combination, SonicWall’s patented single-pass Reassembly-Free Deep Packet Inspection (RFDPI) engine examines every byte of every packet, inspecting both inbound and outbound traffic on the firewall. By leveraging the SonicWall Capture Cloud Platform in addition to on-box capabilities including intrusion prevention, anti-malware and web/URL filtering, the NSA series blocks even the most insidious threats at the gateway.

Further, SonicWall firewalls provide complete protection by performing full decryption and inspection of TLS/ SSL and SSH encrypted connections regardless of port or protocol. The firewall looks deep inside every packet (the header and data) searching for protocol non-compliance, threats, zero-days, intrusions, and even defined criteria. The deep packet inspection engine detects and prevents hidden attacks that leverage cryptography, blocks encrypted malware downloads, ceases the spread of infections, and thwarts command and control (C&C) communications and data exfiltration. Inclusion and exclusion rules allow total control to customize which traffic is subjected to decryption and inspection based on specific organizational compliance and/or legal requirements.

When organizations activate deep packet inspection functions such as IPS, antivirus, anti-spyware, TLS/SSL decryption/inspection and others on their firewalls, network performance often slows down, sometimes dramatically. NSA series firewalls, however, feature a multi-core hardware architecture that utilizes specialized security microprocessors. Combined with our RTDMI and RFDPI engines, this unique design eliminates the performance degradation networks experience with other firewalls.

Network Control and Flexibility

At the core of the NSA series is SonicOS, SonicWall’s feature-rich operating system. SonicOS provides organizations with the network control and flexibility they require through application intelligence and control, real-time visualization, an intrusion prevention system (IPS) featuring sophisticated anti-evasion technology, high-speed virtual private networking (VPN) and other robust security features.

Using application intelligence and control, network administrators can identify and categorize productive applications from those that are unproductive or potentially dangerous, and control that traffic through powerful application level policies on both a per-user and a per-group basis (along with schedules and exception lists). Business-critical applications can be prioritized and allocated more bandwidth while nonessential applications are bandwidth limited. Real-time monitoring and visualization provides a graphical representation of applications, users and bandwidth usage for granular insight into traffic across the network.

For organizations requiring advanced flexibility in their network design, SonicOS offers the tools to segment the network through the use of virtual LANs (VLANs). This enables network administrators to create a virtual LAN interface that allows for network separation into one or more logical groups. Administrators create rules that determine the level of communication with devices on other VLANs.

Built into every NSA series firewall is a wireless access controller that enables organizations to extend the network perimeter securely through the use of wireless technology. Together, SonicWall firewalls and SonicWave 802.11ac Wave 2 wireless access points create a wireless network security solution that combines industry-leading next-generation firewall technology with high-speed wireless for enterprise-class network security and performance across the wireless network.