Keeping the outside out: Seven desktop firewalls tested

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01 November 2002 03:00 PM
Tags: check point secureclient, cracker, firewall, virus, worm, security, hacker, zone alarm pro

Check Point SecureClient

The Check Point System is very secure and complex and involves a Check Point Secure Platform, a management station (Smart Dashboard), and SecureClient itself. If you are already using Check Point products, this will match together nicely with your system. Installation of the various parts was fairly simple and well documented, but certainly took much longer than the other systems.

Firewalls: Introduction
Check Point SecureClient
Computer Associates eTrust EZ Firewall
ISS RealSecure Desktop Protector
Kerio Personal Firewall
McAfee Desktop Firewall 7.5
Symantec Client Security 8.0
Zone Alarm Pro
Sample scenario
How we tested
Glossary
Specifications and results
Editors' Choice
About RMIT Test Labs

The client by itself comes without any security policy and waits for a policy server to provide it with its firewall rules. There are no default rules defined on the Smart Dashboard, so the security policy will have to be specifically crafted by the security administrator. This is a great solution for an experienced admin, but makes for a steep learning curve for the beginner.

The Smart Dashboard Configuration program is a large and complex tool, but it is designed to manage the security setting for an entire large organisation. It is relatively easy to use once you have been shown how, but it is really the sort of package you need some specific vendor training on.

All results would depend totally on the security policy defined by the organisation. This software is very powerful and has huge scope for many policies for different departments within an organisation, but it requires considerable investment in time to configure properly.

Product: Check Point SecureClient

Price: From AU$92 per user

Vendor: Check Point

Phone: 02 9493 6000

Web: www.checkpoint.com

Interoperability:
Fully integrated system with full management features.

Futureproofing: ½
Part of a total security infrastructure.

ROI:
Not cheap, but powerful and flexible.

Service:
Good documentation and help available.

Rating: ½

Talkback 2 comments

    central silent installs?? was ...Anonymous -- 20/05/04

    central silent installs?? was in ice cap but to my knowledge not yet wriitten into SP!!

    You did not review the new eTr ...Anonymous -- 03/11/04

    You did not review the new eTrust EZ Armor. It is different now; it consists of eTrust EZ Antivirus and eTrust EZ Firewall (which is ZoneLabs technology). So you have a good antivirus, not a resource hog, uses less space on hard drive, and "ZoneAlarm." There are not many better.

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