Johannesburg, 27 Feb 2018
Netgear has launched a new service to provide security for any device connected via a Netgear router to a home WiFi network. Dubbed Netgear Armor, the multilayer solution is powered by Bitdefender, an award-winning cyber security offering.
Netgear Armor is a designed to actively detect and protect the home environment - and family members - from cyber threats, such as viruses, spyware, spam and phishing. It will be available through firmware updates on key Netgear product offerings.
"The need for an all-encompassing cybersecurity solution is more critical than ever as the burgeoning numbers of smart home and IOT [Internet of Things] devices connected to the home network pose increasingly devastating security risks for consumers," says Tobie van Schalkwyk, Business Development manager at Duxbury Networking, the SA Netgear distributor.
"The home is an area of increasing concern as these devices are always on and always connected, compounding the liabilities of potential network vulnerabilities," he stresses.
The Netgear Armor service will be introduced on Netgear's Nighthawk AC2300 Smart WiFi router and later in the year on Netgear's Orbi Whole Home WiFi system and Nighthawk performance routers.
The Netgear Armor firmware update is designed to provide central security to protect network-connected PCs, Macs, smart phones, tablets and smart home devices. The subscription will also bundle Bitdefender Total Security, anti-malware software for Windows, MacOS, iOS and Android devices.
Van Schalkwyk notes that Netgear Armor protects home networks without sacrificing network speed, performance or privacy. "The service scans the network, identifying every device connected to it. Scanning is fast and light on resources as it mostly occurs in the cloud to maximise power and efficiency.
"With Netgear Armor, home routers and personal devices are rarely taxed to perform power-hungry or processor-intensive tasks. Moreover, the service never scans or stores the actual contents of any documents or files," he adds.
Key features of the Netgear Armor solution include:
(1) Safe browsing with URL blocking:
Netgear Armor safeguards networks from threats, including Trojans, ransomware, zero-day exploits, rootkits and spyware. Fake Web sites trying to steal financial data such as passwords or credit card numbers are automatically blocked, as are malicious links in browsers, e-mails or apps.
Users are able to ascertain whether search results are safe to access before clicking on a link, as a warning will be activated should a Web site be identified that can leak login credentials if the authentication is not performed via https.
(2) Vulnerability assessment:
Netgear Armor scans networks for connected devices open to unauthorised access, data theft or malicious attacks. It checks for password strength, firmware version and any weakness that can allow hackers access to the entire network. An easily-run report includes tips for eliminating specific vulnerabilities. It also highlights any need to check the status of a device or address any pressing security issues.
(3) Intelligent network intrusion prevention:
Netgear Armor blocks hackers from accessing smart-home devices such as Internet-enabled thermostats, refrigerators, baby monitors and security cameras. Users receive instant alerts when new devices join the network, allowing WiFi access request for unrecognisable devices to be rejected.
(4) End-point protection with Bitdefender Total Security:
Netgear Armor includes Bitdefender Total Security anti-malware for Android, iOS, Windows PCs, and Macs whether at home or anywhere. Using intelligent behavioural detection, Netgear Armor closely monitors all active apps and should the service detect suspicious activity, immediate action (within three seconds) is taken to prevent threat escalation.
An optional Autopilot feature permits all cybersecurity decisions to be made without the use of distracting "pop-ups" or dialogue boxes.
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