This post was written by Jason Stella

ForeScout Technologies, Inc. has announced that its CounterACT(TM) Wireless Integration kit has been tested and proven interoperable with Meru Networks. Meru’s Wireless Interoperability & Network Solutions (WINS(TM)) lab verified the interoperability of the ForeScout CounterACT NAC platform with Meru’s virtual cell wireless infrastructure. Verification ensures that customers can deploy ForeScout solutions on Meru’s WLAN infrastructure without having to do their own extensive testing. The CounterACT wireless integration kit is available through local ForeScout representatives and supports the entire family of Meru wireless network controllers.

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This post was written by Jason Stella

Napera is expanding the capabilities of its box.  New software for the appliance enables a gateway firewall, support for a remote-access VPN and a DHCP server. The firewall is a basic, packet-filtering product along the lines of what is offered in a small office-home office appliance. The VPN relies on the point-to-point tunneling protocol (PPTP) support in Windows XP and Vista client software as well as Apple’s OSX. With PPTP, remote users will connect over the Internet to the Napera appliance, establish a VPN tunnel and submit to a NAC test.

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This post was written by Jason Stella

In an effort to simplify the use of NAC to achieve industry and government security regulations, ForeScout has clubbed a PCI Compliance Kit with the latest version of its CounterACT NAC software. Just like any other product by any vendor, it doesn’t claim to meet all the regulations set down by the payment card industry. However, there are aspects of the PCI data security standard, to be precise eight out of 12 requirements, which NAC can help meet and the compliance kit helps with that.
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This post was written by Jason Stella

ForeScout Technologies, Inc., policy management solutions has announced that Sutton Valence School (SVS) has deployed a CounterACT(TM) NAC appliance across its campus network to ensure compliance and protect against self-propagating threats. SVS is now using the ForeScout CT-1000 appliance to protect 1,000 on-campus devices. Sutton Valence has recently opened a new presentation theatre on campus. Though the theatre is a wonderful asset for the school, it brings additional security risks when guest speakers plug-in their laptops and require network access. ForeScout’s CT-1000 protects against these types of threats, helping to optimize uptime and availability of the school’s network.

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This post was written by Jason Stella

NCP engineering GmbH announced the 9.1 version of the NCP Secure Enterprise Client. Available in North America on December 5th, this major upgrade to NCP’s universal IPSec VPN client will provide users a flexible, intuitive, bundled client for any Windows-based (Mobile, CE, XS/Vista/32/64-bit) or Symbian system (S60 3rd Edition). The client is seamlessly compatible with any IPSec gateway on the market. It can also be integrated with a network access control (NAC) component to ensure highly secure access to central data networks.

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This post was written by Jason Stella

Network access control (NAC) is set to become one of the security channel’s key battlegrounds as resellers move to exploit the sector’s growth potential. According to Infonetics Research, the global NAC market grew 16% sequentially in the first quarter of 2008, hitting $62.7 million (£32 million). The market watcher predicts NAC will continue to surge over the next five years, despite the recent disappearance of some early NAC vendors. With preliminary reports suggesting NAC manufacturers are enjoying an even better Q2, UK VARs are battling it out to gain first-mover advantage.
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This post was written by Jason Stella

On InformationWeek, Mike Fratto says that the research summary headline, Reports of NAC’s death have been greatly exaggerated; market up 16% in 1Q ‘08, really says it all. But, Fratto warns the readers not to get too excited. The increase of 16% in 1Q over the previous quarter means approximately $10 million more in sales. The market is still relatively small, so any movement will be magnified. Fratto says that his own reader survey on NAC deployments indicates respondents have a strong preference to add enforcement points and in-line appliances into their existing network rather than use out-of-band appliances, which agrees with Infonetics prediction that out-of-band appliances will have a smaller penetration than in-line products.
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This post was written by Jason Stella

On InfoWorld, Steve Hultquist says that the wide range of NAC (network access control) products on the market depicts a broad range of thinking about policy-based security controls and the management of the network in general, including the end-point devices that connect to the network. According to Hultquist, in accordance to vendors’ way of enforcing policies using various forms, Sophos took a decidedly open path to the system, allowing for integration with environments using a wide range of anti-virus agents, 802.1x, DHCP, Cisco NAC, and VPN methods of control and enforcement. Sophos NAC Advanced combines a Windows Server 2003-based policy management server with end-point agents, dissolvable agents, and reporting to deliver a compelling system for Windows-oriented environments.
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