logo
Check Point boosts Quantum Force with AI security update

Check Point boosts Quantum Force with AI security update

Techday NZ28-05-2025
Check Point has announced significant enhancements to its Quantum Force platform, including an automatic upgrade that delivers a 15%-25% performance boost in threat prevention throughput for all Quantum Force Hybrid Mesh firewalls, as well as the introduction of AI-powered security appliances designed for branch offices.
The updates are designed to address growing demands for software-driven security solutions and the increasing threat landscape facing enterprise networks and branch locations. The performance boosts, delivered automatically via software updates, enhance existing security infrastructure without requiring hardware changes.
Check Point's new Quantum Force Branch Office Security Gateways offer up to four times the threat prevention performance of previous generations, aiming to meet the security requirements of distributed and hybrid enterprise networks. The four new branch models are engineered to handle rising attack rates on branch offices, which, according to Check Point Research, now experience an average of 713 weekly attack attempts per location, a 36% increase from last year. Additionally, 50% of branch offices reportedly encounter efforts to exploit vulnerabilities from external sources, underlining the importance of robust branch security.
"As we continue to prioritise innovation and efficiency, Check Point's new Quantum Force Branch Office Security Gateway firewalls are built for speed, simplicity, and security. They're 4x faster than previous models, optimised for SD-WAN, and backed by our latest AI-powered threat prevention. And with automatic performance upgrades, existing Quantum Force customers will receive a 15-25% performance boost with a software update — no hardware changes required," said Nataly Kremer, Chief Product Officer at Check Point.
The branch office appliances are designed to provide a 99.9% block rate for threats, as verified in Miercom's 2025 security benchmark report, deliver improved security for cloud applications, and offer increased connectivity and port capacity. With the adoption of SD-WAN technology and the expansion of remote work, these features are poised to enhance branch office security, making it more resilient and responsive to changing operational needs.
Check Point points to findings in its CPR 2025 Security Report, which shows a 44% annual rise in cyberattacks, reflecting the intensification of the security environment for branch locations. The company has designed the new appliances to maintain strong security without impacting network performance or user productivity, a crucial factor for locations that engage in direct customer interactions.
"World Wide Technology (WWT) provides security products and services to customers across a variety of industries, including financial services, manufacturing, retail and healthcare with distributed branch offices. Check Point's new next-generation Quantum Force Branch Office Security Gateways with enhanced AI powered threat prevention, empower us to protect these customers from the latest attacks on branch offices. These innovations help our clients reduce risk, streamline operations, and scale securely across hybrid environments — turning cyber resilience into a competitive advantage," Chris Konrad, Vice President of Global Cyber at World Wide Technology (WWT), said, commenting on the new offerings.
The company has also released a new generation of Quantum Smart-1 Management Appliances, featuring a twofold increase in managed gateway capacity and up to 70% higher log processing rates. These management solutions are intended to centralise and automate security operations across hybrid environments through AI-powered tools and policy orchestration.
"Security teams today face more pressure than ever — from rising AI-generated threats to managing fragmented infrastructures. Our new Quantum Smart-1 Management Appliances simplify that complexity. Our new Quantum Smart-1 Management Appliances combine AI, speed, precision, and automation to help organisations manage on-premise, cloud, and distributed IT deployments — faster and smarter," said Nataly Kremer, Chief Product Officer at Check Point.
The seventh-generation Smart-1 appliances offer local storage scaling up to 70TB for compliance requirements and support management for up to 10,000 gateways. This architecture is designed to combine unified management across on-premises, cloud, and remote deployments, with integration for over 250 third-party solutions.
"The Check Point Infinity Platform demonstrated superior security efficacy, consistently outperforming its peers in the test category of comprehensive threat prevention and response, as well as excelling in the AI-powered testing scenarios. Its AI-driven architecture, hybrid mesh deployment model, and unified security operations prove that Check Point is setting the pace for next-generation cyber security," Rob Smithers, CEO at Miercom, said, highlighting the platform's performance in recent testing.
"Branch offices are often the soft spots in enterprise security, providing vulnerable entry-points for attacks and compromising the security posture across the enterprise. Check Point's new Quantum Branch Office Security Gateways deliver robust threat prevention to the edge, enabling organisations to secure their branch offices from emerging cyber threats while keeping pace with the demands of the hybrid workforce," Pete Finalle, Security Research Manager at IDC, noted the importance of edge security.
Check Point's Quantum Force Branch Office Security Gateways and Smart-1 Management Appliances are currently available through its network of partners worldwide.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Revealed: How Much Supermarket Prices Have Gone Up Since 2022
Revealed: How Much Supermarket Prices Have Gone Up Since 2022

Scoop

timea day ago

  • Scoop

Revealed: How Much Supermarket Prices Have Gone Up Since 2022

Article – RNZ Over the last three years, Checkpoint has been tracking a weekly shop from the same suburb at a Woolworths and PAK'nSAVE supermarket. Louise Ternouth , Checkpoint reporter Checkpoint Whether it is a block of butter or cheese, a kilogram of mince, a dozen eggs or a cooked chook, food prices have gone up rapidly. The latest Stats NZ figures show in the past 12 months food prices have gone up 4.4 percent – the highest increase since December 2023. Over the last three years Checkpoint has been tracking a weekly shop from the same suburb at a Woolworths and PAK'nSAVE supermarket to see just how much things have gone up at the checkout. Some of the results are more eye watering than mouthwatering. For over three years, Checkpoint has been tracking the cost of 36 items likely to be in a household's trolley. In May 2022, our first shop at Woolworths Greenlane cost us $238 dollars and $217 at PAK'nSAVE Royal Oak. Today, those same items at Woolworths have shot up to $305 dollars – an extra $67 dollars at the checkout. PAK'nSAVE our shop, now set us back $270, an extra $53 dollars. Compared to our 2022 shop, seasonal vegetables like carrots and cabbage were cheaper. Other items that had come down slightly or stayed the same were Watties baked beans, plain flour, Mightyfresh wheatmeal toast bread and diced tomatoes. But they were mostly exceptions, most of the items on the shopping list cost more. Some shoppers told Checkpoint they have noticed an increase on some items in particular. 'Olive oil is really expensive and eggs,' said one shopper. 'Dairy items I've noticed but even just general fresh fruit and vege.' Others said meat was on the list. Unsurprisingly, dairy had one of the biggest jumps. At both supermarkets you still could not get a 1kg block of cheese for $10 or less. Though 1kg is now $1 dollar cheaper at Woolworths for $12.49. At PAK'nSAVE a 1kg block stayed much the same at $11.89. Two litres of standard blue top milk were sitting at just under $5 at both supermarkets. In 2022, a 500g block of Woolworths branded butter cost $5.80, now a whopping $8.50. At PAK'nSAVE it was a similar story, in 2022 it was $5.70 for a Pams 500g block, now $8.30. One shopper said their family uses a lot of butter and they were feeling the pinch, 'It's been absolutely ridiculous it's almost $10.' Others said they bought butter in bulk from Costco to save money 'to buy cheaper New Zealand butter in bulk and freeze it rather than buying at the supermarkets.' A 50 box of Twinning's Earl Grey tea more than doubled in price at PAK'nSAVE to $7.89. As for a dozen barn eggs, those more than doubled at PAK'nSAVE to $9.59 and $9.50 at Woolworths. The humble beef mince now not so humble at 1kg used to cost $11.99 at PAK'n SAVE, now $18.99. At Countdown, it was up from $14.90 in 2022 to $23.80 now. For some, it is now a luxury among other items they are going without. 'Probably meat products and dairy,' said one shopper. Others were also leaving those products on the shelves and opting for a butter 'blend' and no brand versions. One man said snacks were off the shopping list. 'Snack bars and extra things you'd put into kids lunches.' One woman said she had left her broccoli and cauliflower out of the shop. Washing and toiletry products also came out far more expensive. Four kilograms of Persil sensitive washing powder was $22 at both supermarkets in 2022, now an extra $13 at Woolworths and $6.50 more at PAK'nSAVE. Huggies size 3 nappies were an extra $10 at PAK'nSAVE and a litre of Palmolive body wash was an extra $5 at Woolworths. For those advising to stock up on staples or frozen to cut costs, rice, noodles, sugar and frozen vegetables – all more expensive.

Some Kiwis considering ditching insurance due to rising costs
Some Kiwis considering ditching insurance due to rising costs

RNZ News

timea day ago

  • RNZ News

Some Kiwis considering ditching insurance due to rising costs

Photo: 123rf Some people are considering taking the gamble to ditch insurance as prices continue to rise. Stats NZ figures show at March last year house insurance was up almost 25 percent, contents insurance up about 28 percent and car insurance up almost 23 percent compared to the previous year. A leading economist told Checkpoint the country is still in a cost of living crisis and it could take months to get out of that hole, with inflation going up. According to Stats NZ in the past year food prices have gone up 4.4 percent, the biggest jump since December 2023. New figures from Centrix show almost half a million people are behind on debt repayments, with nearly 22,000 in mortgage arrears. Company liquidations have also risen 27 percent year-on-year. Checkpoint spoke to three women all considering altering their insurance to keep costs down. Jan said it is impossible to ignore the price of insurance as it continues to rise. "It goes up every year, no matter what. It's nothing to do with you claiming and losing, your no claims bonuses, and you don't have to research much to find that it's rising like five or six times faster than our incomes are." The price of her housing and content bundle has increased twice over the past two years. "[It] went up $50 a month two years ago, and then it went up $50 a month last year again." For Jan, the increase doesn't go unnoticed. "It's pretty tough. It's like if I add up my insurance and my health insurance and my rates. It's about 25 percent, 30 percent of my income just for those three things." "My husband passed away in December, so he was a high-income earner. So now it's a big change for me to be on an average income on my own. Rates and insurance are the same and the same outgoings, regardless of circumstances, aren't they?" She is now also considering the value of her health insurance. "It will go up as you age, so you have to relook at it each year." Joan has also noticed the cost of her insurance skyrocketing, something she called "insane". "The price has gone up substantially. We've got several insurance with the same company and we pay monthly and I used to pay about $440 a month. So it's up to about $660 a month now. So that's insurance on the properties, insurance on vehicles. Just everything in the packet." She is now looking at other ways the cost of her insurance could be brought down. "I am going to get all the policies out. I'm gonna have a look at them all. See if we put the excess up so that might bring the policy down, possibly get rid of one or two, I don't know." Like Jan and Joan, a tough economy is also leading Babette to consider the worth of her insurance plans. "Insurance costs have skyrocketed. Quite a few people have are not taking content insurance because they can't afford it. I'm mulling over that at the moment for the number of times that I that I have not claimed on insurance, not that I've needed to. I think the costs are very high." She has already been taking measures to lower the cost, but thinks she may have to do more. "To get my insurance rates down, I have raised the excess on my house and contents and car. So that you know I could get the premium down, but I'm not too sure how I'm going to be faced when my next insurance policy falls due." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

Revealed: How Much Supermarket Prices Have Gone Up Since 2022
Revealed: How Much Supermarket Prices Have Gone Up Since 2022

Scoop

timea day ago

  • Scoop

Revealed: How Much Supermarket Prices Have Gone Up Since 2022

Whether it is a block of butter or cheese, a kilogram of mince, a dozen eggs or a cooked chook, food prices have gone up rapidly. The latest Stats NZ figures show in the past 12 months food prices have gone up 4.4 percent - the highest increase since December 2023. Over the last three years Checkpoint has been tracking a weekly shop from the same suburb at a Woolworths and PAK'nSAVE supermarket to see just how much things have gone up at the checkout. Some of the results are more eye watering than mouthwatering. For over three years, Checkpoint has been tracking the cost of 36 items likely to be in a household's trolley. In May 2022, our first shop at Woolworths Greenlane cost us $238 dollars and $217 at PAK'nSAVE Royal Oak. Today, those same items at Woolworths have shot up to $305 dollars - an extra $67 dollars at the checkout. PAK'nSAVE our shop, now set us back $270, an extra $53 dollars. Compared to our 2022 shop, seasonal vegetables like carrots and cabbage were cheaper. Other items that had come down slightly or stayed the same were Watties baked beans, plain flour, Mightyfresh wheatmeal toast bread and diced tomatoes. But they were mostly exceptions, most of the items on the shopping list cost more. Some shoppers told Checkpoint they have noticed an increase on some items in particular. "Olive oil is really expensive and eggs," said one shopper. "Dairy items I've noticed but even just general fresh fruit and vege." Others said meat was on the list. Unsurprisingly, dairy had one of the biggest jumps. At both supermarkets you still could not get a 1kg block of cheese for $10 or less. Though 1kg is now $1 dollar cheaper at Woolworths for $12.49. At PAK'nSAVE a 1kg block stayed much the same at $11.89. Two litres of standard blue top milk were sitting at just under $5 at both supermarkets. In 2022, a 500g block of Woolworths branded butter cost $5.80, now a whopping $8.50. At PAK'nSAVE it was a similar story, in 2022 it was $5.70 for a Pams 500g block, now $8.30. One shopper said their family uses a lot of butter and they were feeling the pinch, "It's been absolutely ridiculous it's almost $10." Others said they bought butter in bulk from Costco to save money "to buy cheaper New Zealand butter in bulk and freeze it rather than buying at the supermarkets." A 50 box of Twinning's Earl Grey tea more than doubled in price at PAK'nSAVE to $7.89. As for a dozen barn eggs, those more than doubled at PAK'nSAVE to $9.59 and $9.50 at Woolworths. The humble beef mince now not so humble at 1kg used to cost $11.99 at PAK'n SAVE, now $18.99. At Countdown, it was up from $14.90 in 2022 to $23.80 now. For some, it is now a luxury among other items they are going without. "Probably meat products and dairy," said one shopper. Others were also leaving those products on the shelves and opting for a butter "blend" and no brand versions. One man said snacks were off the shopping list. "Snack bars and extra things you'd put into kids lunches." One woman said she had left her broccoli and cauliflower out of the shop. Washing and toiletry products also came out far more expensive. Four kilograms of Persil sensitive washing powder was $22 at both supermarkets in 2022, now an extra $13 at Woolworths and $6.50 more at PAK'nSAVE. Huggies size 3 nappies were an extra $10 at PAK'nSAVE and a litre of Palmolive body wash was an extra $5 at Woolworths. For those advising to stock up on staples or frozen to cut costs, rice, noodles, sugar and frozen vegetables - all more expensive.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store