New Fortinet solution FortiNAC provides overview and grip on IoT devices

Fortinet has made the new FortniNAC solution available. It is a network access controller that combines network segmentation with automated countermeasures to secure IoT environments. The company believes that this is a desirable solution, as the growth of insecure IoT devices without a user interface requires new tools for network security.

FortiNAC manages access to the network. The solution analyzes each device connected to the network. If there is a change in the status or behaviour of IoT devices, the solution provides fine-meshed network segmentation and automatically takes measures. This ensures that each device can only access IT resources within the network for which it has been granted access rights.

Unsafe devices

The controller provides an overview of all trusted and unknown endpoints, users, devices and applications. FortiNAC applies control mechanisms to ensure that all devices are authenticated and have appropriate access rights. On the basis of context-sensitive policy rules, the controller determines who or what may make a connection with applications, the infrastructure and IT assets.

It can also apply internal device patch and firmware policies. This complements FortiNAC with network orchestration capabilities, which provide automated countermeasures if cyber threats are detected.

Growth

Fortinet explains that the use of IoT equipment is growing rapidly. The company refers to a Gartner study, which states that between 2016 and 2021, the number of IoT endpoints will grow by an annual average of 32 percent, to 25.1 billion units. That amount of devices access the network via fixed and wireless connections, which leads to an increase in the attack surface. It also increases implementation, management and compliance costs. The new solution therefore responds to this.

FortiNAC is integrated with the next-generation firewall FortiGate, FortiSwitch, FortiWLC wireless controllers, FortiSIEM and FortiAP. Interested parties can use the solution immediately.