Re: Gauntlet adaptive proxies

["Dale Lancaster" <dlancaster () raptor com>]

From: Joseph S D Yao <jsdy () cospo osis gov>
To: dlancaster () raptor com <dlancaster () raptor com>
Cc: cm () rmsbus com <cm () rmsbus com>; firewall-wizards () nfr net
<firewall-wizards () nfr net>
Date: Monday, November 09, 1998 11:29 AM
Subject: Re: Gauntlet adaptive proxies


> > > What do folks make of Gauntlet's adaptive proxies that got best of show
at
> > > Networld+Interop?  ...
> ...
> > Its not a new technology for firewalls, just new to Gauntlet.  ...
>
> ???
>
> As I understand it, the firewalls named, including YOURS, are basically
> packet filters to begin with.  The technology may be in cutting over
> from an application gateway filter to just a packet filter, selectively
> and perhaps configurably.

False.  Raptor Firewall is basically an application level firewall.  And you
are right "cutting over from an application gateway filter to just a packet
filter" is a crude definition of what we are talking about here.  As noted,
not new, just new to Gauntlet.

> ...
> > Overall, its a great feature to have for both stateful and proxy
firewalls.
> > It allows you to authenticate a connection, do the basic logging and
then,
> > if your security policy and comfort level allows, let's you gain the
> > performance advantange of not doing any content scanning of the packets
that
> > flow through.  ...
>
> And, as you add much later, the security DISadvantage of not having the
> flow examined by the proxy.
>
> OBTW, I would have felt more comfortable with the level of objectivity
> in your note had you noted at the top who you work for.  That may or
> may not be a personal problem.  ;-/

I'm not sure I understand what you believe the problem is.  Most of my email
simply conveyed the facts (that "adapative proxy" technology has been around
for awhile - its not new).  And that, in general, its a good thing.  Just
because I work for a competitive vendor doesn't mean I cannot say something
objective.  I need a little more insight here (which can be provided
privately so as not to clog this list with off topic discussion :-))

regards,
dale
=============================================
Dale Lancaster
Director of Technical Marketing
AXENT Technologies
=============================================