Check Point Upgrades Connectra Solution

The new version, Connectra 2.0, also is available for solution providers to deploy as software on gateway appliances from Intel- or AMD-based systems from other vendors.

Bill Jensen, product marketing manager at Redwood City, Calif.-based Check Point, said the tool now detects and disables spyware, ensures session confidentiality, and enforces security policy compliance before granting remote access.

"With this tool we're checking the endpoint and the gateway as well," he said, noting that the product incorporates technology from Zone Labs, an endpoint security firm that Check Point acquired in March 2004. "It's designed to cover everything."

The Connectra 1.0 debuted last May, and focused almost exclusively on securing Web applications and stopping spyware and malware. Connectra 2.0 adds several other new features, including secure browser and cache cleaning, endpoint host checking, and real-time security updates from Check Point's SmartDefense service.

The new tool also enables customers to manage both Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) and SSL VPNs through a unified interface.

Mark Williamson, vice president of Patriot Technologies, a solution provider in Frederick, Md., said that for his federal clients, these new features provide the kind of security that enables them to comply with all of the latest regulations governing the transmission of private information.

"With Connectra 2.0, the integration of endpoint and applications security is a major leap forward for secure Web-based connectivity," he said. "[It] will allow our customers more flexibility without sacrificing security."

Connectra 2.0 is available immediately. Pricing for the hardware appliance starts at $10,000; the software product is priced on a traditional licensing structure and starts at $8,000.