DNSWatchGo eliminates blind spots

A new service that eliminates security blind spots and blocks phishing attempts has been launched by WatchGuard (www.watchguard.com).  Called DNSWatchGo, (www.watchguard.com/wgrd-products/dnswatchgo), the new cloud-based security service automatically detects and blocks phishing attacks, command and control callbacks and data exfiltration attempts against users both inside and outside the network perimeter.

 

Called DNSWatchGo, (www.watchguard.com/wgrd-products/dnswatchgo), the new cloud-based security service automatically detects and blocks phishing attacks, command and control callbacks and data exfiltration attempts against users both inside and outside the network perimeter.

“As the workforce becomes increasingly mobile, businesses need to be able to protect against the increasing attacks that take place outside of their core network.  They need to be able to monitor off-network traffic, filter access to malicious and unwanted content, and protect users even when they’re not using a VPN,” says Andrew Young, SVP of product management at WatchGuard.

“DNSWatchGO was built to deliver these capabilities and extend our industry-leading layered protections to secure remote workers beyond the network perimeter, while also educating and training them on security best practices in the process.”
 
For protection on the go, the solution extends the DNS-level protection and content filtering provided by WatchGuard’s existing DNSWatch service to monitor and correlate outbound DNS requests from off-network users against an aggregated list of malicious domains.  All endpoint attempts to connect with known malicious infrastructure are blocked, users are redirected and the traffic is routed to DNSWatch servers for further investigation and malware removal.  These capabilities make it easy to block off-network phishing attacks, command and control callbacks, and data exfiltration attempts.  DNSWatchGO also automatically prevents users from accessing inappropriate destinations – regardless of their location – using policies that are easy to establish, adjust and enforce.   This enables MSPs to expand their services portfolio and bring added value to customers by offering security layers for endpoints outside the network.

When it comes to off-premises visibility, DNSWatchGO eliminates off-network security blind spots commonly created by remote users, by providing consolidated visibility and advanced protection for all on- and off-network devices.  The service delivers a wealth of useful information for IT administrations and IT solution providers, including endpoint locations, the type of attacks blocked, the end goal of individual attacks and more, without the need to examine log data.  This level of visibility is particularly valuable for MSPs, who are able to provide evidence of protection and detailed reports about off-network security incidents, attackers, and their methodologies.

Available as a standalone solution and through WatchGuard’s new user-centric security services bundle, Passport (www.watchguard.com/wgrd-products/watchguard-passport), DNSWatchGO offers DNS-level protection and content filtering to protect users regardless of where they are located.  It also provides automated end-user security awareness and education features that are designed to help prevent future security incidents – all in a simplified, cost-effective solution that is easy to deploy and manage.