Novell Expands Endpoint Security with Network Access Control

Extending its endpoint security and management solutions to include network access enforcement and compliance, Novell today announced the availability of Novell® ZENworks® Network Access Control. This newest member of the ZENworks product line ensures security in heterogeneous network environments by using policies to grant or deny access to the network based on tests which determine if a device meets defined security criteria from patches to host-based firewalls. Without slowing down employee productivity, this ZENworks solution helps organizations reduce the risks associated with network access control (NAC) and meet regulatory requirements such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) as well as internal security policies.

"As the threat environment grows more cunning, securing corporate endpoints and networks are two of the most critical issues facing the enterprise today," said Chris Christiansen, program vice president for IDC Security Products and Services. "Customers want both endpoint Security and network access control to help ensure that network access is only granted to devices that meet IT patch and security requirements. Solution providers like Novell, that offer these combined capabilities, give customers a comprehensive tag-team approach to protecting both their managed devices while also extending management and security to unmanaged devices and guest users, such as consultants, for complete enterprise endpoint security."

Unlike other solutions, this ZENworks product is designed to allow organizations to deploy network access control without requiring additional network equipment or upgrades, making it ideal for heterogeneous network environments. Additionally, this new solution is easy to deploy with pre-defined tests for specific devices or groups and phased deployment options to prevent interruptions in IT operations during implementation. ZENworks Network Access Control provides a key piece of security enforcement, ensuring device compliance with easy to define policies, automatic test updates for new patches and continuous monitoring to protect against zero day attacks.

By controlling access to the network using either the agentless, Web-based or agent-based approach, ZENworks Network Access Control extends endpoint security policies to all devices and protects the network through these four steps:

• Pre-connect testing – Ensures devices are thoroughly tested, approved and secure before they are allowed to access the network by performing the most complete set of checks for both Windows and Macintosh devices in a matter of seconds.
• Post-connect revalidation – As devices remain connected to the network, tests are repeated on defined time intervals.
• Identity-based management – Reinforces access security by applying specific policies to users or devices logged onto the network.
• Remediation – When non-compliant devices attempt to access the network, they are quarantined and remediation is required prior to allowing the device production network access.

"In today's business environment mobile computing is the norm and network access control is an essential component of any IT Security strategy," said Joe Wagner, senior vice president and general manager of Novell Systems and Resource Management. "ZENworks Network Access Control helps customers secure their network -- keeping their users productive while protecting the processes that power their business."