VIRTUAL DESKTOP TOOLS
DNSFilter | August 12, 2022
DNSFilter today announced the acquisition of Guardian, a leading Firewall + VPN technology platform. The acquisition allows DNSFilter to provide a robust Secure Web Gateway (SWG) that more effectively protects user information and secures organizations against web-based threats.
“Secure Web Gateway plays a critical role in modern security strategies, enabling organizations to better secure access to the service edge, But the technology is tired – incumbents have not kept pace with the evolving threat landscape or customer needs around service and support. Combining best-in-class Domain Name System (DNS) layer security with Firewall + VPN presents a massive business opportunity and alleviates the pain points customers face with legacy SWG technology.”
Ken Carnesi, CEO and Co-founder, DNSFilter
Protective DNS is a key element of a SWG, as it is the primary barrier against malware, ransomware, and phishing websites, and is where policies for acceptable use are configured and managed. However, legacy providers rely on signatures and threat feed lists and struggle to identify new attack vectors. DNSFilter provides AI-powered security via DNS. 61% of threats identified by DNSFilter at any given time have not been identified by competitors, who lag behind an average of seven days.
Guardian blocks unauthorized third parties from collecting end user information while adding an extra layer of security from hackers and unsecure websites with a powerful VPN – protecting passwords, search history, and other sensitive data. The Guardian Firewall + VPN is securely integrated into the privacy-preserving Brave browser's iPhone, iPad, and Android apps, stopping third-party tracking and blocking unwanted surveillance with protection at the network level on the entire device.
Guardian’s technology provides the foundation for DNSFilter to disrupt the SWG market, adding full URL, file type, IP, and port filtering, along with VPN capabilities. DNSFilter’s predictive DNS protection further enhances the security of Guardian users, and Guardian’s highly efficient Secure Web Gateway software stack enables filtering of new internet traffic layers for DNSFilter customers beyond DNS.
“We are thrilled to join DNSFilter, the category leader in DNS layer security and a like-minded team that shares our beliefs on privacy and delivering quality software to protect devices,” said Will Strafach, Guardian Founder and CEO. “Guardian and DNSFilter place a high priority on in-house security research to best protect our customers and remain steadfast in our mission to allow users to take back control of the personal data and information they share while using any device. Guardian solutions are a perfect complement to DNSFilter as the company broadens its platform offerings.”
About Guardian
Guardian is a research company founded on the belief that personal privacy and transparency into network-connected devices are fundamental consumer rights. Guardian is building the world’s most powerful data privacy tools to change the paradigm of your technology owning you, to you owning your technology. Guardian Firewall + VPN blocks attempts by apps on iPhones to track the location of, and take data from, unsuspecting users. Well known for its ability to reverse engineer almost any app and device, Guardian’s mission is to expose what’s happening under the hood, to protect people from the dangers lurking – often unknowingly – in the digitized world. For more information, go to https://guardianapp.com.
About DNSFilter
DNSFilter is redefining how organizations secure their largest threat vector: the Internet itself. With 70% of attacks involving the Domain Name System (DNS) layer, DNSFilter provides AI-powered security via DNS that uniquely identifies 61% more threats than competitors on an average of seven days earlier, including zero-day attacks. Over 15K organizations and managed service providers trust DNSFilter to protect millions of end users from phishing, malware, and advanced cyber threats.
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guardDog | August 10, 2022
Guard Dog Solutions, Inc., dba guardDog.ai, and VMware are now partnered. guardDog.ai is launching the VMware implementation of its Fido 3 technology at the 2022 VMware Explore event at the Moscone Center in San Francisco Aug. 29 – Sept. 1, in booth 1914.
As the award-winning leader in real-time cyber security protection for business and consumers, guardDog.ai is using VMware’s Tanzu containerization technology to support hardware-free and entirely remote deployment and management of cyber security protection for any size MSSP or organization.
guardDog’s subscription-based Fido technology uses patent-pending artificial intelligence from the company’s cloud-based Autonomous Incident Response (AiR) database to pre-emptively recognize all devices connected to a network (including most especially the IoT and smart device connections device management solutions can’t see). The solution exposes and shuts down most cybersecurity threats before exploits can happen, protecting users and organizations from threats such as ransomware, man-in-the-middle attacks, denial of service, and emerging novel threats, protecting networks and the devices attached to them.
“Full virtualization has been on our product roadmap from the date of our inception, I have had the opportunity to partner with VMware through multiple organizations I have founded and led, and am particularly compelled by the power of the containerization architecture exemplified in VMware Tanzu. We are extremely pleased to provide what we believe is one of the most exemplary use cases for Tanzu implementation, and we look forward to using this technology to protect users and networks and to move the needle on the war against cybersecurity for many seasons to come.”
Peter Bookman, CEO and founder of guardDog.ai
“The implementation of guardDog.ai Fido 3 as a containerized appliance is a game changer, creating opportunities for anyone who wants to keep bad actors out of their systems,” says Industry veteran CIO Steve O'Donnell. “A wide variety of industry colleagues and I have had the opportunity to test Fido pre-launch and can report that it operates as advertised, it is fully automated, simple to implement and provides effective protection that can be deployed anywhere.”
With the VMware implementation of guardDog.ai’s Fido technology, MSSPs and IT departments can now replace the Fido hardware plugins with entirely virtual and remotely manageable implementations. This provides exceptional economy and ability to deploy and manage guardDog’s protection remotely, from a single location, for any size of organization or IT customer base.
guardDog.ai uses AI-driven overlay technology in Fido to find and protect users and networks from attempted cyberattacks in less than two milliseconds, by identifying the threats that device and network management solutions can’t see and proactively halting potential exploits before they begin.
In both wired and Wi-Fi networks, Fido protects network and the device users from the threats across the entire Attack Surface, and most especially within the edge territory outside the perimeter of the network or on attached devices that other solutions cannot see. These include the myriad of IoT (Internet of Things) devices such as specialized health monitoring equipment, printers, doorbells, thermostats, smart refrigerators, smart pens, smart TVs, and game systems that are inherently vulnerable to the networks they join.
Thanks to the VMware partnership and implimentation, the ability to obtain and deploy virtualized Fido technology also eliminates the supply chain issues of availability delays, while allowing for instant and continual updates to the AiR database of known threats and suspicious network behavior.
For all implementations, the virtualized alternatives for guardDog’s Fido v3 technology is making it possible to cover all areas of the potential Attack Surface with far greater economy and ease than before.
About guardDog.ai
Guard Dog Solutions Inc., headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, guardDog.ai has developed a cloud-based Autonomous Incident Response (AiR) cyber security software service that works together with a companion Fido unit to simplify network security. The solution provides protection and visibility as it exposes invisible threats on networks and the devices attached to them, with patented technology to address and prevent cybersecurity threats before they compromise network environments. Every business, government, healthcare institution, home consumer, or other organization, is grappling to find security solutions that are adapting to this changing world. guardDog.ai is pioneering new innovations designed to meet these challenges.
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VIRTUAL DESKTOP TOOLS
Avast | August 10, 2022
Avast One, the all-in-one digital protection service from Avast (LSE: AVST), a global leader in digital security and privacy, has extended its cross-platform support by adding its Online Safety Score feature to both the Mac and iOS platforms of Avast One. Previously available on Windows and Android, Online Safety Score helps people take control of their online safety by providing a simple, easy to read score with regular feedback and tips on how to improve it further. Network Inspector, formally known as WiFi Inspector in Avast Free Antivirus, has also been added to the Mac platform so that networks and devices can be scanned for vulnerabilities. The update follows Avast One's recognition by AV-Test as a 'Top Product' in the industry, achieving full points in malware protection, performance and usability.
Earlier this year, Avast bolstered the free and premium versions of Avast One with new and innovative privacy and scam prevention features across all major platforms, including Email Guardian, Private Mode, Scam Protection for mobile, and a Smart VPN which launches automatically for activities such as online banking. In this latest update, Avast has strengthened its cross-platform support further with Online Safety Score and Network Inspector which provide more guidance and user control over online safety for greater peace of mind no matter the device used. Premium customers can benefit from Avast One's leading protection and performance capabilities for up to 30 computers and mobile phones across PC, Mac, Android and iOS, ensuring families and their devices stay private and secure.
Last year, Avast's Digital Citizenship study of over 16,000 people found that despite the internet's increasing importance day-to-day, heightened online safety and privacy concerns are stopping people from fully engaging in online activities. With this in mind, Avast has enhanced the protection capabilities of Avast One across all platforms, to provide online citizens with greater control and confidence at a time of rising online scams, fraud, and other malicious activity.
"Across the world, safe and free access to digital services is increasingly becoming an everyday requirement. Yet our Avast Digital Citizenship Report found that two out of three people decided not to do something online because of security and privacy concerns, It's a wake-up call for us that many people do not feel confident about using critical online services and are abandoning decisions to shop, bank, or register new accounts because of concerns about security, privacy and identity. We understand that effective protection means protection on our customers' terms, and with Avast One we've made sure it's available on every major platform, wherever and whenever it's needed."
Vita Santrucek, Chief Product Officer at Avast
In addition to Online Safety Score, the features available in the latest update of Avast One include:
Network Inspector: automatically scans networks and connected devices for vulnerabilities, and offers recommendations to improve device security when connected to public networks, as well as tips to strengthen the protection of home networks so that intruders are unable to access them and obtain personal data
App Lock: locks sensitive apps and photos with a PIN, pattern, or fingerprint that's different to the authentication used to unlock a phone, providing the user with an additional layer of protection. Available on Avast One Individual and Family for Android. For individuals or families with iOS devices, the Photo Vault feature secures photos in an encrypted folder inside the Avast One app, protected by a PIN, Touch ID or Face ID to improve privacy on shared mobile devices.
Avast One is available in Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It is available for download now at www.avast.com and is compatible with Android, iOS, macOS and Windows.
About Avast:
Avast a FTSE 100 company, is a global leader in digital security and privacy, headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic. With over 435 million users online, Avast offers products under the Avast and AVG brands that protect people from threats on the internet and the evolving IoT threat landscape. The company's threat detection network is among the most advanced in the world, using machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies to detect and stop threats in real time. Avast digital security products for Mobile, PC or Mac are top-ranked and certified by VB100, AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, SE Labs and others.
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