Fortinet Expands Integrated Network Security Platform with Extensive Management and AI Capabilities

Fortinet unveils over 100 new features for their mainstay FortiOS and Security Fabric platform

Fortinet is introducing a multitude of features to its key operating system. These enhancements range from increasing support for SD-WAN and secure access service edge (SASE) to incorporating generative AI to aid customers effectively govern network and security management.

Its current update for the FortiOS operating system comprises hundreds of advancements targeted at aiding clients minimize the intricacies of managing discrete systems and enabling them to apply homogeneous network and security polices across the enterprise, says John Maddison, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President of Products at Fortinet.

FortiOS represents the company’s operating system for the FortiGate collection of hardware and virtual components. In addition to implementing the company’s extensive Fortinet Security Fabric platform, FortiOS also provides integrated network security functionalities like firewalling, access management, and authentication, along with SD-WAN, SASE, switching, and wired and wireless facilities.

On the security side, the firm has introduced a managed security service enabling Fortinet to handle, configure, monitor, and oversee custom FortiGate implementations.

The vendor also included a managed SASE/Zero Trust Network Access service allowing Fortinet to incorporate SASE elements and customize the firm’s SASE solution, FortiSASE. This feature relieves local NOC or SOC teams of the requirement to manage this part of their cybersecurity infrastructure, Maddison revealed.

Moreover, FortiOS now includes Data Loss Prevention features designed to identify and prevent confidential data from exiting broadly disseminated data sources in its FortiGate and SASE solutions, Maddison elaborated.

Centralized data protection in conjunction with enforcement points throughout the Fortinet Security Fabric will enable a larger number of enterprises to adopt and control a comprehensive DLP strategy, Maddison commented.

Some other security enhancements included:

  • The vendor has improved its FortiClient unified protection agent to include endpoint detection and response (EDR), adding protection against ransomware through behavioural detection and automated responses. Additionally, FortiClient now offers greater visibility and control, as well as ZTNA remote access capabilities. Its features now include VPN, ZTNA, endpoint protection (EPP), EDR, DEM, network access control (NAC), and SASE support, reducing the need for multiple agents that may complicate distributed environments, according to Fortinet.
  • Fortinet’s FortiGate NGFW now includes real-time inline detection and prevention of AI-powered attacks, with the ability to recognize and block even the most sophisticated and new threats. A revamped AI-powered Inline Malware Prevention Service now includes new features such as real-time anti-phishing and a faster AI pre-filter.

Further AI-based enhancements have been added to the FortiAnalyzer, Fortinet’s core security analytics and log management platform. These new features enable it to learn and detect network configurations, events, and alerts, and it now provides advanced threat visualisation. Fortinet has also introduced a Security Automation Subscription that includes premium reports, event handlers, and incident response playbooks.

Enhancements to the Security Fabric AI not only improve threat analysis and response, but also streamline network and security operations by integrating the Fortinet Advisor (FortiAI) system into the core data lake of the vendor. This is aimed at empowering security operations teams to make better-informed decisions, respond to threats more rapidly, and simplify both routine and complex tasks. The AI-powered FortiAI assistant is a feature of Fortinet’s FortiSIEM security information and event management platform and FortiSOAR security orchestration, automation, and response product.

The extension of FortiAI across the Fortinet Security Fabric and into the data lake expedites decision-making, and assists in the quick detection and remediation of incidents, the company stated.

Other AI-related enhancements include:

• A new FortiAI assistant that employs generative AI to assist organizations with transitioning to public clouds and offers guidance on planning and deploying applications and services within specific cloud platforms. This service is available within cloud provider offerings, such as FortiAI for AWS and FortiAI for Azure, the vendor stated.

Another artificial intelligence-based assistant, named FortiAI, which is geared towards management, provisioning, documentation, and support, offers assistance in platform management, deploying new products and features, monitoring network, and accessing documentation and support resources. As per Fortinet, FortiAI accelerates decision-making process, aids in quick detection and rectification of issues, and ensures organizations are able to adopt necessary technologies effectively for management.

In conclusion, FortiOS 7.6 introduces over 20 new features to support SD-WAN and enhance user experience by streamlining operations. The Overlay Orchestration enhancements automate and simplify connectivity across multiple clouds to improve operations. Additional features such as Underlay Bandwidth and Quality Monitoring Service provide path, link, and performance monitoring of applications to enhance user experience and simplify processes, says the provider.

According to Maddison, “Our SD-WAN technology configures itself and instantly connects applications. However, it does not always determine the optimal connection. Thus, we are improving its intelligence to decide how and where to route application traffic. Furthermore, if there is an ISP outage, we can direct the traffic around the issue.”

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