PAN-OS 10.0 ushers in the ML-Powered NGFW, Nir Zuk, CTO, Palo Alto Networks

As organizations defend their ever-increasing points of entry against cyberattacks that continue to morph and rise, Palo Alto Networks  introduced the ML-Powered Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW), which embeds machine learning (ML) in the core of the firewall to proactively assist in intelligently stopping threats, securing IoT devices, and recommending security policies — once again redefining the standard for network security.

“Thirteen years ago, we completely changed network security when we created the Next-Generation Firewall,” said Nir Zuk, founder and chief technology officer at Palo Alto Networks. “As enterprise networks are widening — with hybrid clouds, IoT devices and home offices — and attacks rapidly and automatically evolve, we again need a radical new approach to cybersecurity. PAN-OS version 10.0 ushers in the ML-Powered NGFW, which is continuously learning and proactively improving security across multiple fronts, so security professionals don’t just keep up but get ahead.”

Industry Firsts

Palo Alto Networks’ ML-Powered NGFW with PAN-OS® 10.0 introduces multiple industry firsts, including:

• ML-Based In-line Malware and Phishing Prevention

As attackers use machines to automatically morph attacks, signatures become less valuable in preventing these attacks. Previously, network security products only used machine learning models for out-of-band detection, but the Palo Alto Networks ML-Powered NGFW now uses in-line machine learning models to help prevent previously unknown attacks.

• Zero-Delay Signature Updates

In reducing the reaction time for threats from days to minutes, Palo Alto Networks is now introducing zero-delay protection, resulting in a 99.5% reduction in systems infected.

• ML-Based Integrated IoT Security

New IoT devices are proliferating rapidly, often joining the network unsecured and without InfoSec’s knowledge. The new Palo Alto Networks IoT Security is powered by ML to deliver complete device visibility, including never-before-seen devices; highlight anomalies and vulnerabilities; and recommend appropriate security policies — all without the need for additional sensors or infrastructure.

• ML-Based Security Policy

The ML-Powered NGFW uses machine learning to analyze vast amounts of telemetry data, and then recommend policies. With PAN-OS 10.0 and IoT Security, customers will be able to view and adopt the IoT Security policy recommendations for safe device behavior. This will save time, reduce the chance of human error, and help secure IoT devices.

By bringing these four industry firsts into a single system, Palo Alto Networks ML-Powered NGFW helps organizations protect against up to 95% of unknown file and web-based threats instantly; automate policy recommendations to save time and reduce the chance of human error; adapt and provide instantaneous real-time protection; and extend visibility and security to all devices, including unmanaged IoT devices — without the need to deploy additional sensors.

In addition, PAN-OS 10.0 introduces the CN-Series, a containerized form factor for the ML-Powered NGFW, and 70+ innovative new capabilities, including easier decryption, high availability clustering, a new high-performance hardware card, Threat Prevention and DNS Security enhancements.