In a further effort to be seen as an independent entity, Raytheon|Websense has unveiled its new company name, Forcepoint.
The security firm also unveiled a series of new products.
Forcepoint is the combination of Websense, Raytheon Cyber Products and the recently-acquired Stonesoft next-generation firewall (NGFW) business. The idea is to reinforce to the market that the company is no longer simply focused on internet security (as the name “Websense” telegraphs), nor is it a subsidiary of the Raytheon defense contractor juggernaut. The company going forward will operate on its own, with its own funding and product roadmap, incorporating a range of next-gen security practices for a more comprehensive view of the threat landscape than what has gone before.
Its technology goal is to create a unified platform that will eliminate the need for multiple point solutions. Today’s enterprises often have tens if not hundreds of individual security pieces at work in their infrastructures, generating thousands of alarms per day. At the same time, security resources tend to be constrained, as the workforce skills shortage persists. By integrating disparate solutions, and applying automation and correlation via analytics to the alerts, the idea is to winnow the notfications down to the handful that are actually noteworthy and actionable, thus saving resources.
The Forcepoint platform will be developed over the next few quarters to do just that, providing a common foundation for the protection of users, networks and data. Key focal areas include insider threat protection, cloud data protection and network security.
Initially, the platform will provide integrations between products within the company’s own portfolio, so that they can share information and be aware of each other, and available within a unified management system for IT staff. Eventually, that vision will grow to encompass third-party solutions as well.
“A platform solution that both simplifies and strengthens security as part of a holistic strategy that includes people, process and technology is a far more compelling value proposition than a simple point solution,” said Dan Wilson, executive vice president of Partner Solutions for fellow security provider Optiv.
Forcepoint frames its strategies using what it calls the “four Ds”: Defend, detect, decide, defeat.
“With Forcepoint, organizations can protect users, networks and data in the cloud, on the road, and in the office. We simplify compliance, enable better decision-making and streamline security so that our customers can concentrate on what’s important to them,” said Forcepoint CEO, John McCormack. “We will provide a unified cloud-centric platform to defend against attacks, detect suspicious activity sooner, and give the context needed to decide what actions to take to defeat the attack and stop data theft. We have the expertise, financial commitment and ongoing access to unique, defense-grade security technology necessary to deliver on this vision.”
One of the first integrations to reach the marketplace will be the combination of the Stonesoft next-generation firewall and Sidewinder proxy firewall technologies with the Forcepoint TRITON security platform.
And, Forcepoint is launching three new products to address insider threats, cloud-based protection of Microsoft Office 365 and massively distributed, next-generation network security.
SureView Insider Threat 8.0 gives customers an early warning system, automatically identifying the riskiest users within an organization, based on their behaviors as well as on information received from TRITON AP-DATA, Forcepoint’s data loss prevention (DLP) solution. SureView Insider Threat gathers and provides rich context around user behaviors, including record and playback of user activities before, during and after risky behaviors.
The Forcepoint TRITON platform is also now natively hosted in Microsoft Azure, enforcing DLP for Microsoft Exchange Online in Office 365, directly from Microsoft’s own cloud.
And on the network security side, Forcepoint’s Stonesoft NGFW now has Common Criteria certification, for consistent visibility, responsiveness and policy enforcement across hundreds or thousands of locations with a single management console.
“Forcepoint is a new company with a comprehensive approach to addressing the evolving security needs of organizations across the globe,” said Christian Christiansen, program vice president of Security Products at IDC, a leading provider of global IT research and advice. “Most importantly, Forcepoint is focused on enabling companies to do business securely in new and exciting ways by taking advantage of cloud computing, mobility and other disruptive technologies.”
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