Enhancements to SonicWALL endpoint security add extra protection against clientside attacks

New capabilities in SonicWALL Enforced Client Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware version 4.5 include support for Windows Vista, a centralized desktop firewall feature that acts as a barrier against malicious intrusions, and browser protection, provided via McAfee's SiteAdvisor service, which protects users from Web sites known or suspected to harbor malware.

"SonicWall's Enforced Client has been a key component for several years in providing a consistent, layered protection strategy for our customers," said Sandeep Kumar, business development manager of GWC Networks LLC (www.gwcnetworks.com). "The SonicWall solution provides the means to centrally manage all PCs in the enterprise through user defined groups and policies. The new 4.5 release has added client firewall settings and browser protection, offering substantial improvements to PC defenses. The enhancements to the centralized management interface make it easier than ever to manage and enforce client policy."

SonicWALL Enforced Client operates in conjunction with the company's Unified Threat Management appliances to provide comprehensive, layered protection to networks of all sizes. Developed in partnership with McAfee, it currently protects over 600,000 small and mid-sized business users worldwide. SonicWALL's endpoint security solution offers IT administrators simple, centralized enforcement capabilities, delivering regular updates of virus and spyware signatures directly to the user's desktop, automatically checking that clients are updated before they are permitted to access the corporate network, and enabling users to simply remediate non-compliant systems without the need for IT intervention.

"Threat management is an around-the-clock necessity for IT administrators, but machine-by-machine updates create an excessive drain on their resources," said Shahnawaz Sheikh, SonicWALL regional sales manager Middle East and Africa (MEA).

"Our endpoint security technology solves that problem by providing automatic enforcement from the gateway firewall to the desktop in a centrally managed solution that ensures all users have the latest protection on their desktops. It is a key element in SonicWALL's layered security offering."

Enforced Client version 4.5 is available immediately. Existing subscribers to SonicWALL's Enforced Client Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware or SonicWALL's Client/Server Anti-Virus Suite will automatically receive the update as part of their active subscription at no additional charge.