Supplier Profile: Why We Recommend WatchGuard Products

An important part of being a network security reseller is choosing the right suppliers to partner with. And our boffins can’t get enough of WatchGuard’s ever-expanding suite of enterprise-level network security hardware and solutions.

Though we used to purely supply SonicWall solutions, we simply had to sit up and take notice when presented with WatchGuard’s range. On the surface they may seem like “just another firewall manufacturer” but in reality, they’re much more than that.

So, what makes WatchGuard so great? Why did we at Just Firewalls decide to supply WatchGuard’s range? Let’s dive in!

Who are WatchGuard?

WatchGuard are a pioneering cybersecurity solutions vendor, headquartered in Seattle and founded in 1996. After a brief stint under the moniker Seattle Software Labs, Inc., they switched to WatchGuard Technologies, Inc. to match their first breakout product – a network firewall called the WatchGuard Security Management System.

Growing over two decades to accommodate the growing digital landscape – and the ever-shifting nature of cyber threats – WatchGuard now provides solutions across 4 major cybersecurity categories: network security, secure Wi-Fi, multi-factor authentication, and network intelligence.

What Products do WatchGuard Provide?

WatchGuard supply a broad range of practical network security products and services:

Firewalls

WatchGuard offer firewall hardware and solutions to suit pretty much any commercial setting. At the smaller end of the scale, their Firebox T Series range provides industry-leading security to small businesses and satellite offices.

Bustling medium to large workplaces will be better served by the Firebox M Series, which boasts “Blazing Fast Speed for Growing Businesses”.

If you have a particularly remote or distributed workforce, WatchGuard also offer a virtual firewall service – Firebox V. All modern WatchGuard firewalls come with Mobile VPN capability as standard, enabling your remote team to securely “dial in” to your network.

Wireless Security

WatchGuard identified 6 major categories of Wi-Fi cyber-threats that leave companies vulnerable, all of which can be pretty much eradicated with correct use of their Secure Wi-Fi range.

The WatchGuard AP range provides secure, hack-resistant Wi-Fi coverage for a range of environments, from small offices to densely packed, large enterprises. Use these in conjunction with WatchGuard Wi-Fi Cloud for a comprehensive, data-driven Wireless Intrusion Prevention System.

Multi-Factor Authentication

It can be surprisingly easy to hack basic username and password logins, and phishing attacks make it easier than ever for cybercriminals to obtain sensitive access credentials.

Multi-factor authentication provides an added step during login that verifies the user’s identity, and WatchGuard’s AuthPoint solution is arguably the best on the market.

Rather than relying on outdated verification hardware, AuthPoint links a user’s identity with their mobile phone. Armed only with the lightweight AuthPoint app, your team can securely access sensitive systems like email, cloud resources, SaaS platforms, databases, VPN access – the list goes on.

Because it’s all cloud-based, AuthPoint also features a simple, online management portal, giving your IT security personnel full visibility over failed attempts and suspicious activity.

Essential Cybersecurity Services

WatchGuard provide a number of fundamental IT security services that we consider “must haves”:

• Intrusion Prevention Service (IPS) – Continually scans network traffic to proactively protect against known network threats.
• Gateway AntiVirus (GAV) – Identifies and blocks known malware, including slight variations on known threats.
• WebBlocker URL Filtering – Granular content filtering tool which blocks access to inappropriate content or malicious websites.
• Application Control – Manage access to certain apps, permitting or restricting access depending on time, job role, or department.
• spamBlocker – Looks at sender reputation, pattern matching, and customisable rules to filter out spam and potentially malicious emails.

Advanced Network Security Solutions

In addition to their essential add-on services, WatchGuard also provide a number of advanced security measures too:

• APT Blocker – Uses advanced cloud sandboxing to protect against zero-day threats and malware that’s designed to evade detection.
• Data Loss Prevention (DLP) – This service scans all data leaving the network to prevent data breaches.
• Threat Detection and Response (TDR) – Powerful threat detection engine that allows you to identify and remediate threats network-wide.
• IntelligentAV – A powerful AI-driven antivirus solution that uses artificial intelligence to protect against malware threats of all kinds – even future zero-day threats that don’t exist yet!
• DNSWatchGO – A DNS filtering system which provides lightweight off-network cyber-protection and content filtering for remote teams.

Why do Just Firewalls Recommend WatchGuard?

Impeccable Product Reliability

WatchGuard are global industry leaders within the network security industry – and for good reason. We consider the sheer reliability of WatchGuard products their most stand out quality. Regardless of your organisation’s size or distribution, there are probably numerous WatchGuard solutions out there that will serve you well for years to come.

Their 9.3 out of 10 review score on TrustRadius bears this out, with some reviewers highlighting unparalleled peace of mind and long standing brand preference.

Impeccable Pre- and Post-Sales Support

Though we will do everything in our power to help you as a reseller, there may be a time when you need to get in touch with their support personnel directly. And honestly, you won’t be disappointed.

WatchGuard’s friendly and knowledgeable team really make the firm a joy to work with – from pre-sales advice to after-sales technical support, they’ll be able to guide you through pretty much any quandary you may have with their products or services.

However, we doubt it’ll come to that. Adopting new systems always comes with a small learning curve, but once you’re on board with WatchGuard, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without them!

Exhaustive List of Possible Use Cases

WatchGuard are best known for their firewall solutions, but in reality, they offer much more. As well as industry-leading hardware and virtual firewall services, they provide a whole host of network security products, including application control, ransomware prevention, DNS endpoint protection, intrusion prevention, threat response, in-depth network-wide security reporting, multi-factor authentication, and much more!

So, there’s no need to invest in multiple different, disjointed solutions from different providers; you can easily keep everything “under one roof” with WatchGuard’s integrated systems.

AI-Powered Protection Against Zero-Day Threats

Zero-day threats (or as we like to call them “as yet unknown” threats) are a real problem nowadays. Cybercriminals can come up with totally new malware surprisingly easy, sometimes simply repackaging older exploits. Alas, merely filtering out threats listed in databases of known threats (called “signature-based” detection) isn’t enough to stay totally safe.

WatchGuard recognise this problem, and their AI-driven IntelligentAV antivirus platform is really a force to be reckoned with. Cybercriminals often use artificial intelligence to craft new nasties after all, so why not play them at their own game?

IntelligentAV’s AI is designed to identify threats, examining file code and contextual cues to identify potentially malicious code. IntelligentAV consistently keeps you safe, even against unknown or unpatched threats.

Combine IntelligentAV with APT Blocker’s sandboxing functionality for ultimate defence against zero-day exploits.

Focus on Remote Worker Security

Keeping remote workers safe from cyber threats has always been a concern for companies large and small. And in the aftermath of COVID-19 preparedness measures, firms are more ready to appreciate the morale-boosting, overhead-slashing benefits of #WorkingFromHome.

WatchGuard take remote worker cybersecurity very seriously, and offer a number of security solutions to keep your distributed IT estate protected. Most notably, their AuthPoint MFA solution ensures that only verified users are accessing sensitive systems, regardless of their location; DNSWatchGo provides essential content filtering and threat protection; and all of their newer firewall solutions feature off-network VPN functionality.

However, there are ways to get creative with remote worker security. In an interview published on WatchGuard’s Secplicity blog, WatchGuard’s Director of Wi-Fi Product Management suggested sending wireless access point hardware to your workers, pre-configured with your organisation’s security policies.

Your team simply need to plug this AP into their routers at home and enjoy the same cyber protection and oversight as they would in the office.

Solutions-Based Innovation

When it comes to the raft of network security threats and worries that different businesses face, we feel that WatchGuard do an impeccable job of keeping their finger on the pulse.

Just look at solutions like AuthPoint, Secure Wi-Fi, and IntelligentAV – user authentication, Wi-Fi hacking, and zero-day threats are all potentially huge threats to businesses of all sizes, but WatchGuard’s solutions effectively tackle them head on.

So if you’re interested in joining the ranks of the 80,000+ satisfied WatchGuard users worldwide, then drop us a line for your FREE network security health check.

Our friendly team of cybersecurity experts will go through your current needs and make valuable suggestions – you may not even have to spend a single penny!

Give us a call on 0808 1644 414 today.