Home Page | Skip to Navigation | Skip to Content | Skip to Search | Skip to Footer

Check Point Redefines Internet Security: Unveils Application Intelligence Technology

Only Vendor to Deliver Comprehensive, Integrated Protection Against Both Application and Network Attacks

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., -- May 12, 2003 - Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP), the worldwide leader in securing the Internet, today redefined the Internet security landscape with the unveiling of new Application Intelligence™ technology that addresses today's most critical Internet security threats - the new breed of sophisticated, damaging application-driven attacks. This new technology will be integrated into the company's latest version of its market-leading product suite, Check Point Next Generation™ with Application Intelligence™, to provide customers with the industry's only comprehensive, integrated security solution for defeating and preventing both network-level and application-level attacks.

The Evolving Threat Environment
Of the FBI and SANS list of the Top 20 Most Critical Internet Vulnerabilities, more than half exploit vulnerabilities in applications like web and email -- with CERT recording over 80,000 incidents overall in 2002 alone. Hackers are developing more sophisticated attacks that are application-driven, such as Slammer, Code Red and Nimda. This important shift in attack methodology requires that enterprise firewalls provide not only access control and network-level attack protection, but also sophisticated intelligence on application behavior to protect against attacks and exploits. While other firewalls protect against some network attacks, Check Point is the only vendor to extend the firewall to integrate comprehensive defenses for both application and network attacks.

"Network-layer security mechanisms dominate current deployments but are proving insufficient in the face of more frequent application-layer attacks. This condition requires that vendors and users alike increase their focus on application-oriented security controls," said Mark Bouchard, Senior Program Director, Technology Research Services, META Group. "One approach would be to integrate intelligence at the application level directly into firewall products. This is the approach that Check Point is taking, and it has the significant advantage of enabling organizations to enhance their security capabilities without having to purchase multiple products."

Next Generation with Application Intelligence greatly expands and integrates application attack protection, configuration and management capabilities from multiple Check Point technologies to gain a deeper understanding of application behavior and block attacks. This enables multiple layers of security in one integrated and easy-to-manage gateway. These layers include:

  • Strict Access Control - enabled by Check Point's patented Stateful Inspection technology, allows administrators to determine which resources users and systems can access.

  • Comprehensive Application Protection - enabled by Check Point's Application Intelligence allows administrators to ensure that traffic allowed by the access control policy doesn't pose a threat to applications and data.

  • Integrated Network and Application - Level Defenses - delivered by Check Point FireWall-1 NG with Application Intelligence, increases security and reliability while lowering the total cost of ownership by providing a single, centralized console for management, auditing and reporting.

"As one of the largest financial services firms in the United States, it is important that we have comprehensive and robust security to protect our business critical applications," said R. Scott Loach, Sr. Information Security Engineer at Raymond James Financial. "By incorporating a deep understanding of application behavior, Check Point Next Generation with Application Intelligence will provide default protection against emerging attacks that attempt to misuse business applications and exploit discovered vulnerabilities, while allowing our solution to scale and become more sophisticated as the Internet threat environment changes."

Legacy of Innovation
"As we did with the firewall and VPN, Check Point is once again changing the Internet security landscape with Application Intelligence. By evolving enterprise firewalls into multi-layer security gateways, we are elevating attack protection to a new level and reinforcing the role of the firewall as the primary network security enforcement point," said Gil Shwed, chairman and CEO of Check Point Software Technologies. "This represents the next major step in Check Point's evolution as the leading Internet security provider and a key component in our direction moving forward. None of our competitors can deliver what we can today."

Check Point was among the first to recognize the threats posed by application attacks, including some of the elements of Application Intelligence in FireWall-1® and SmartDefense™ over a year ago. As the inventors of the industry-standard Stateful Inspection technology and the first widely-available commercial firewall product, Check Point is uniquely positioned to continue leading the Internet security industry into the next phase of intelligent, Active Defense to defeat the increasing number of damaging attacks directed at critical applications and networks.

Availability
Check Point Application Intelligence technology is integrated into the newest version of Check Point VPN-1®/FireWall-1® Next Generation™, through the SmartDefense system. The new version, named "Check Point Next Generation with Application Intelligence" can be ordered immediately and will ship June 3rd. For more information or early availability, please visit: http://www.checkpoint.com/appint

What Check Point Partners Are Saying …

About Check Point Software Technologies
Check Point Software Technologies is the worldwide leader in securing the Internet. It is the confirmed market leader of both the worldwide VPN and firewall markets. The company's Secure Virtual Network (SVN) architecture provides the VPN and security infrastructure that uniquely enables secure and reliable Internet communications. SVN solutions, as delivered in the company's Next Generation product family, secure business communications and resources for corporate networks, remote employees, branch offices and partner extranets. Extending the power of SVN is Check Point's Open Platform for Security (OPSEC), the industry's framework and alliance for integration and interoperability with "best-of-breed" solutions from over 350 leading companies. Check Point solutions are sold, integrated and serviced by a network of 2,500 Check Point partners in 149 countries. For more information, please call us at (800) 429-4391 or (650) 628-2000 or visit us on the Web at http://www.checkpoint.com or at http://www.opsec.com.

###

© 2003 Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved.
Check Point, the Check Point logo, Cluster XL, ConnectControl, FireWall-1, FireWall-1 GX, FireWall-1 SecureServer, FireWall-1 SmallOffice, FireWall-1 VSX, FireWall-1 XL, FloodGate-1, INSPECT, INSPECT XL, IQ Engine, Meta IP, MultiGate, Open Security Extension, OPSEC, Provider-1, SecureKnowledge, SecureXL, SiteManager-1, SmartCenter, SmartCenter Pro, SmartDashboard, SmartDefense, SmartLSM, SmartMap, SmartView, SmartView Monitor, SmartView Reporter, SmartView Status, SmartView Tracker, SVN, UAM, User-to-Address Mapping, UserAuthority, VPN-1 Accelerator Card, VPN-1 Net, VPN-1 Pro, VPN-1 SecureClient, VPN-1 SecuRemote, VPN-1 SecureServer, VPN-1 SmallOffice, and VPN-1 VSX are trademarks, service marks, or registered trademarks of Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. or its affiliates. All other product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Partners with "Secured by Check Point" Appliances

"HP is focused on delivering complete end-to-end security solutions for enterprise customers and HP is pleased to support Check Point's launch of Check Point Next Generation with Application Intelligence. Check Point's new solution offers protection at both the network and application levels for truly comprehensive coverage and high-level security for enterprises of all sizes."
-- Michael Day, Global Alliance Manager of Security Infrastructure, HP Business Critical Systems

"Nokia will support Check Point Next Generation with Application Intelligence and its ability to combat the latest breed of Internet security attacks. With this dynamic application-layer security, Nokia-Check Point customers will have the tools essential to defeat the growing number of Internet attacks that target vulnerabilities in applications."
-- Dan MacDonald, Vice President of Product Management and Marketing, Nokia

"Check Point's continued innovation and the release of its latest security software suite demonstrate an ongoing commitment to providing customers with the latest technology to protect their network infrastructure and applications from Internet attacks. The new security capabilities align well with Nortel Networks product strategy of migrating Layer 7 functionality currently available in Nortel Networks Alteon multi-application switching systems to the Alteon switch-accelerated firewall platform. Together, Check Point's latest software and Nortel Networks leadership in L4-7 make the Alteon Switched Firewall an ideal platform for security at the network and application layers."
-- Atul Bhatnagar, vice president and general manager, Ethernet Switching, Nortel Networks.

"Customers need a layered defense against the increasing and complicated threats to their networks. Sun and its iForce[tm] partners are working together to provide an ecosystem of standards-based security solutions that will meet the growing demands for integrated offerings. This builds upon Sun's vision of a security solution that combines best-in-class software, like the Check Point Next Generation with Application Intelligence, running on Sun platforms that provides secure, reliable and scalable answer to security needs of large or small enterprises."
-- Manish Bhuptani, Director of Network Services Market Development. Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Partners with OPSEC Certified Applications

"BindView customers consistently point to vulnerability management as a key concern in assessing and securing their IT environments. We wholeheartedly support Check Point's new announcements to further enhance customer security. Together with Check Point, we provide critical insight that enables organizations to verify their configurations and to aid in defending against debilitating external attacks."
-- Brent Harman, Market Management Director, BindView

"As the leader in access infrastructure solutions, Citrix is strongly focused on enabling our customers to securely access business-critical applications and information over the Internet and other networks. Check Point Next Generation with Application Intelligence, together with the secure gateway capability of the Citrix MetaFrame Access Suite, will give our joint customers enhanced protection against application-level attacks."
-- Thomas Craig, Senior Director, Business Development, Citrix Systems

"The traditional enterprise boundary is becoming porous due to application-level threats and exposures. Organizations of all sizes must be able to stop traditional network-level threats and emerging application-level threats at the same time. Check Point's ability to do both network-level and application-level security is a tremendous reassurance to our mutual customers and is a compelling reason for integrating Check Point with Computer Associates' eTrust security management solutions."
-- Mr. Sam Curry, Director, Security Management, eTrust Product Management, Computer Associates Intl.

"Let's face it - application vulnerabilities are here to stay and no amount of careful programming will ever totally eliminate them. Check Point Next Generation's built-in knowledge of key applications and its native ability to protect them in real-world deployments proves that a practical defense against application-related information security exploits is not only possible, it's a must-have in the enterprise network."
-- Matt Stevens, Vice President for Marketing and Technology at Network Intelligence Corp.

"We are very pleased to see Check Point advancing Internet security with Check Point Next Generation with Application Intelligence. Vulnerabilities at the application layer are a clear threat and Check Point is delivering essential tools to defeat them."
-- Jack Norris, Vice President of Marketing, Rainfinity

"SurfControl understands that a total content security solution requires a multi-layered approach. The combination of SurfControl's Web filtering technology with Check Point Next Generation with Application Intelligence provides the multi-layered solution necessary to protect against the many risks that threaten today's enterprise and we congratulate Check Point on the launch of this new technology."
-- Brett Matesen, Senior Business Development Director, SurfControl

"As the world-wide leader in gateway antivirus, Trend Micro partners with industry leaders such as Check Point to provide robust content security protection. We applaud Check Point's announcement of Check Point Next Generation with Application Intelligence, giving our joint customers another layer of protection."
-- Daryl Frahm, Director of Business Development, Trend Micro