Obscure Technologies network security with Palo Alto Networks next-generation firewalls

Mark Jackman, Business Unit Manager at Obscure Technologies. (Image: Supplied)

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Obscure Technologies and Palo Alto Networks provide the solution to the deployment of multiple firewalls across various locations. Mark Jackman, Obscure Technologies Business Unit Manager, says this can be both time-consuming and challenging to manage. “Zero touch provisioning and centralised management is required,” says Jackman.

“Palo Alto Networks PA-400 and PA-1400 series simplifies the process. Panorama integration facilitates centralised policy control, monitoring and configuration for all deployed firewalls from a single interface. Moreover, Strata Cloud Manager enables predictive analytics for network health, AI-powered policy recommendations and real-time compliance checks. This all combines to deliver improved security across all network locations,” he adds.

According to Jackman, Enhanced Security for Encrypted Traffic is essential. “With the rise of encrypted threats, it’s crucial for firewalls to inspect SSL/TLS traffic. Palo Alto Networks NGFWs offer in-depth encrypted traffic inspection to prevent hidden attacks and include:

• SSL/TLS inspection: Identifies and applies policies to encrypted traffic, even with modern protocols like TLS 1.3.
• Decryption flexibility: Allows policies to be applied based on factors such as URL categories, users and groups, ensuring compliance with privacy and regulatory requirements​.

Jackman confirms the PA-400 and PA-1400 series come equipped with cloud-delivered security services powered by Precision AI. “This enhances protection across various network layers including:

• Advanced threat prevention: Detects known and unknown threats, offering industry-first zero-day attack prevention.
• Advanced wildfire: Stops unknown malware by leveraging the largest malware prevention engine, with 180x faster detection-to-prevention compared to competitors.
• Advanced DNS security: Provides DNS-layer threat coverage, blocking DNS hijacking and other advanced DNS-based threats​.”

Investing in the PA-400 and PA-1400 series provides businesses with significant advantages, enabling them to keep abreast of the latest security threats, while simplifying management, including streamlined operations with Single-Pass architecture. “Palo Alto Networks unique Single-Pass architecture processes traffic in a single scan, reducing latency and improving performance across multiple security functions,” he says.

Jackman notes the benefits include:

• Consistent and predictable security: The NGFWs ensure consistent security, even with multiple security subscriptions active, offering reliable performance without slowing down network operations.
• Seamless SD-WAN and IoT Security integration: Companies can enable SD-WAN capabilities directly on the firewalls, ensuring secure, low-latency connectivity for branch offices. IoT Security, part of the Precision AI service suite, helps organisations to automatically identify and secure connected devices within 48 hours.

Palo Alto Networks PA-400 and PA-1400 series redefine what network security can accomplish by embedding machine learning and AI-powered capabilities directly into the firewall. “By preventing unknown threats, simplifying management and extending visibility to all devices, these NGFWs enable businesses to stay ahead of evolving cyber threats. For companies looking to bolster their security posture with advanced, ML-driven firewalls, Palo Alto Networks offer a comprehensive solution that scales with the needs of a business,” concludes Jackman.

Ready to future-proof your network security? Explore the Palo Alto Networks PA-400 and PA-1400 series here to see how next-generation firewall technology can safeguard your organisation.