New Devices Promise Protection in a Box
Security gateways claim to stop threats before they reach your network.
Andrew Brandt
From the June 2006 issue of PC World magazine
Posted Thursday, April 27, 2006
Keeping a PC secure is a hassle. You need to run antivirus and antispyware software, a firewall, and perhaps an antiphishing toolbar, all of which have to be updated and managed. But manufacturers of a new class of security appliances are promising simpler security through hardware that stops threats before they reach your network.
These smart gateways run security software that is managed automatically. New virus definitions and application updates are pushed to the devices from the companies that sell and manage them.
But can a security-focused gateway truly replace the desktop antivirus and firewall software you run on your PC? Our tests indicate the answer is no, as security appliances can’t remove infections that are already on computers or stop all new infections. But security appliances offer more substantial protection than a typical hardware gateway, and they can prevent unwary users from downloading certain types of malicious software.
Three New Options
We looked at three security appliances: Netgear’s $150 WGT624SC Super G Wireless Router, the $150 Spam Cube, and TrustEli’s $200 Eli Security Appliance. The Netgear and TrustEli devices both include software to protect against viruses, spyware, phishing attacks, and spam–plus a firewall and software to filter objectionable Web content. The Netgear unit also includes a one-PC license for Trend Micro Home Network Security software. The Spam Cube is more limited in function: The device filters spam and scans your e-mail for viruses…
