Obscure Technologies unleashes 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 highlights how traditional firewalls are struggling to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. Businesses today require a modern approach to protect their networks, and according to Obscure Technologies, Palo Alto Networks answers this need with its next-generation firewalls (NGFWs).

Mark Jackman, Obscure Technologies Business Unit Manager, says Palo Alto Networks' NGFWs provide organisations with unparalleled protection. “Featuring powerful machine learning (ML) capabilities and cutting-edge capabilities, Palo Alto Networks' PA-400 and PA-1400 series of ML-Powered NGFWs essentially redefine network security,” says Jackman.

He notes there is a shift to next-generation firewalls. “Legacy firewalls, which relied primarily on port and protocol filtering, are not enough to stop modern threats. Attackers now use sophisticated evasion tactics, such as encrypted traffic and zero-day vulnerabilities. Palo Alto Networks’ NGFWs overcome these challenges by embedding machine learning directly into the firewall, allowing it to detect and prevent advanced threats in real-time without requiring prior knowledge of the attack,” Jackman confirms.

Palo Alto Networks has consistently been recognised as a global trailblazer in the field, having been named a leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Network Firewalls for 11 consecutive years. With the PA-400 and PA-1400 series, Palo Alto Networks offers flexible, high-performance firewall solutions for businesses of all sizes, from branch offices to medium-sized companies.

Jackman notes key features of Palo Alto Networks’ PA-400 and PA-1400 Series NGFWs include the fact that both are built on PAN-OS – the core software running across all Palo Alto Networks firewalls. “This ensures consistency with the ability to apply user-based policies and inspect traffic at layer 7 (the application layer),” he adds.

The following outlines how these models elevate network security:

• ML-powered threat prevention: Palo Alto Networks’ NGFWs leverage machine learning to offer signatureless attack prevention, stopping threats even if they have never been seen before. The firewalls use cloud-based ML to update security parameters in real-time, preventing phishing attempts, malware and other zero-day threats.

Key capabilities include: Inline Signatureless Protection – the firewall detects file-based attacks without needing signature updates.

Behavioural analysis for IOT devices: The firewall automatically identifies IOT devices and recommends policies based on behaviour, adding an extra layer of security for connected devices.

• Comprehensive application visibility and control: The NGFWs provide granular visibility into applications, regardless of port, protocol or evasion tactics.

Palo Alto Networks’ proprietary App-ID technology identifies and categorises traffic, allowing businesses to enforce precise policies, including:

• Full layer 7 inspection: Identifies applications in real-time, even if encrypted, to block malicious activity and prevent data leaks.
• Custom application tagging: Supports custom App-IDs for proprietary apps, giving organisations complete control over network traffic.
• SaaS security: Provides insights into both sanctioned and unsanctioned SaaS traffic, critical for maintaining control over cloud applications.

Click here to find out more about Obscure Technologies' NGFWs.