What is a UTM (Unified Threat Management)? – Definition and More

What is UTM?

UTM (Unified threat management) is an information security term that refers to a single security solution. And, generally, to a single security product that offers several protection functions in one single point in the network.

A UTM product generally includes features such as antivirus, antispyware, antispam, network firewall, intrusion prevention, and detection. And also, content filtering and leak prevention.

Some units also offer services such as remote routing, network address translation (NAT), and support for virtual private networks (VPNs). The appeal of the solution is its simplicity.

Companies that use different vendor services or products for each security task can now gather them all in one solution. And, with the assistance of a single IT team or segment, and run them from a single console.

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How UTM products block a computer virus or a large number of them?

Unified threat management products have gained ground in the sector due to the emergence of mixed threats which are the result of the combination of several types of malware and attacks targeting different parts of the network simultaneously.

• Avoiding these types of attacks can be difficult when the use of different products and providers for each specific security task. Since each aspect has to be managed and updated individually to deal with the latest forms of malware and cybercrime.
• The creation of a single defense point and the use of a single console allow UTM solutions to facilitate the task of addressing various threats greatly.
• Although unified threat management solutions solve some network security problems. They are not without disadvantages, the greatest of all being the fact that a single defense point provided by a UTM device also constitutes a single point of failure.

For this reason, many organizations choose to complement their UTM device with a second software-based perimeter to stop any malware that manages to overcome the UTM firewall.

What is the Unified Threat Management firewall?

The term UTM firewall is the terminology given to a hardware or software device capable of gathering various security functions. Such as a packet filter, proxy, intrusion detection, and prevention systems, malware protection, application control, among others.

UTM Firewall in corporate networks

In a simplified way, the primary role of a firewall in a corporate network is to regulate traffic between two or more networks. (internet and internal network, and DMZ, among others), defending control interests and needs of the companies.

• In the case of a UTM firewall, it is no different. However, its capacity or depth of protection is superior to traditional firewalls as it has a higher set of characteristics.
• This offers more dynamism and security to create controls in the corporate environment.

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