WatchGuard Brings Unified Threat Management to Small Business and Remote Offices with Latest Firebox X Edge.

With a single, affordable appliance, smaller shops can protect businesses from hackers, viruses, spyware, spam, even legal liability

SEATTLE -- WatchGuard Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of network security solutions, today announced it has added Unified Threat Management (UTM) protection to its Firebox[R] X Edge e-Series line of integrated security appliances. The latest version of Firebox X Edge includes several new protections embedded within wired or wireless appliances, arming small businesses and remote offices with an affordable and easy way to protect their networks from hackers, viruses, spyware, spam and other emerging threats.

"Being a physically small business or located at a remote site doesn't make one immune from cyber threats. All persons using the Internet, need to understand that they are confronted with the same threats large enterprises are," said Charles Kolodgy, research director at IDC. "With the Firebox X Edge e-Series, WatchGuard is allowing those small business to have enterprise level security while addressing small business needs of manageability and cost".

Firebox X Edge e-Series appliances, aimed at businesses with 1-50 users, now support gateway anti-virus, intrusion prevention, spam blocking and enhanced URL filtering, in addition to its proactive application layer firewall and VPN capabilities. Because an intuitive Web-based user interface provides quick, out-of-the-box device configuration for all the necessary small business network security protections, Firebox X Edge is less expensive and less time consuming to administer than using multiple security solutions.

* VPN - enables authorized users to remotely and securely log on to the network from home, another office, or on the road

* Firewall - provides network protection at the gateway through the enforcement of security policies to prevent outsiders from accessing networks or computers without authorization

* spamBlocker - filters and prevents spam (junk e-mail) from entering the network, so it does not clog email boxes

* Gateway Anti-Virus/Intrusion Prevention with Spyware Protection - examines network traffic for known viruses, spyware, and intrusion techniques to prevent network infiltration and attacks

* WebBlocker - by banning access to a continually updated list of known malicious and inappropriate websites, businesses can protect themselves from lost productivity, slowed network connections, exposure to Internet scams, and even liability arising from use of illicit content

* Zero-day protection - proactively seals potential vulnerabilities before an exploit like a new virus or worm is even launched, therefore providing significantly greater security than signature-based anti-virus protection alone

WatchGuard is also offering new Firebox[R] X Edge customers free 90-day LiveSecurity[R] Service subscriptions. The LiveSecurity Service provides users with software updates, technical support, and an expert-driven broadcast alert service that specifically informs users what to do to address any new security threats that may emerge.

Easily configurable traffic management and Quality of Service (QoS) options ensure that mission-critical traffic is prioritized. This is important because small businesses are increasingly using bandwidth-intensive technologies like VoIP or revenue-driving POS technologies such as credit card processing. In these cases, QoS options assure that phone call quality isn't degraded or that credit card processing doesn't stall due to users using the network for other activities.

Although Firebox X[R] Edge is priced for small businesses and remote offices, it also provides advanced networking capabilities usually reserved for enterprise-level devices, including secure IPSec tunnels for remote connections, 1:1 NAT and Dynamic NAT configurations, Port Address Translation, and multiple external IP support. To reduce network downtime in the event of a line outage, Firebox X[R] Edge also offers a Multi-WAN configuration, enabling quick failover from one WAN port to another. Other additions to the Firebox[R] X Edge also include scalable transparent proxies that provide application-layer inspection, heading off otherwise unknown threats through advanced protocol anomaly detection and pattern matching.

Firebox X Edge appliances seamlessly integrate with WatchGuard[R] System Manager for streamlined centralized management of multi-box environments. Each Firebox X Edge appliance can be upgraded to any model higher in the line by simply applying a license key, allowing an organization to adapt and expand its Firebox X Edge to meet the evolving needs of its business. Every Firebox X Edge e-Series appliance is environmentally friendly, meeting European RoHS requirements.

With the addition of the new capabilities within the Firebox X Edge e-Series, WatchGuard's entire line of appliances now includes UTM protection. For larger businesses, WatchGuard also offers the Firebox X Core and Peak UTM solutions with advanced Zero Day protection against blended network attacks. In addition, the company's Firebox SSL VPN Gateway provides dependable, secure access from anywhere, anytime, with no complex reconfiguration, custom application connectors or development work.

Pricing and Availability

WatchGuard Firebox X Edge e-Series UTM security appliances start at $480(US MSRP) for the wired model and $580 (US MSRP) for the wireless version. UTM bundles start at $799 (US MSRP). The new solutions are expected to be available through WatchGuard resellers worldwide on 12/13/06.

About WatchGuard

WatchGuard provides network security. The company's Firebox X family of upgradeable appliances delivers the performance, functionality and security strength to meet the needs of organizations of varying sizes. WatchGuard's Intelligent Layered Security protects against emerging threats and provides the platform to integrate additional services offered by the company. All WatchGuard products include a LiveSecurity Service subscription for vulnerability alerts, software updates, expert security instruction, as well as individualized and self-help customer care. WatchGuard is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. For more information, please visit www.watchguard.com.

Certain statements in this press release, including statements about expected new products, services, features or functionality and other statements about our plans, objectives, intentions and expectations are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the time the statements are made and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and inaccurate assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected or implied by the forward-looking statements. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements for many reasons, including the risk that expected new products, services, features or functionality are not available when expected or at all and the other risks described under "Risk Factors" in our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2006, and in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings from time to time. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release.

WatchGuard, LiveSecurity and Firebox are either registered trademarks or trademarks of WatchGuard Technologies, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.