Fortinet, a recognized leader in cybersecurity solutions, recently announced a significant upgrade to its industry-leading FortiOS Operating System platform. This update, anchored by the release of FortiOS 7.6, empowers businesses to significantly strengthen their security posture, streamline management processes, and deliver an exceptional user experience across their entire network infrastructure.

FortiOS 7.6 Delivers a Multitude of Security Fabric Improvements

The latest iteration of the FortiOS operating system boasts a comprehensive suite of enhancements designed to elevate the capabilities of the Fortinet Security Fabric. These advancements span critical areas like Secure SD-WAN, Zero-Trust Network Access (ZTNA), Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), automation, provisioning, remote browser isolation, and digital experience monitoring (DEM). Notably, these features are available with flexible deployment options, including SaaS and PaaS models.

GenAI Integration Streamlines Threat Analysis and Deployment within FortiOS

Building on its existing Generative AI (GenAI) capabilities for expedited threat investigation and remediation, FortiOS 7.6 seamlessly integrates FortiAI (formerly Fortinet Advisor) within the central data lake (FortiAnalyzer) and the unified management console (FortiManager). This innovative integration significantly improves threat analysis and response efficiency, while simultaneously streamlining network and security operations. Furthermore, the expanded reach of FortiAI across the Security Fabric facilitates faster decision-making, expedites incident remediation, and ensures effortless adoption of essential security technologies by organizations.

Unparalleled Data Protection Across the Network with FortiOS 7.6

FortiOS 7.6 introduces enhanced data protection capabilities, featuring centralized protection combined with enforcement points strategically distributed throughout the Security Fabric. This empowers a broader range of businesses to effectively implement and manage a comprehensive data loss prevention (DLP) strategy. These robust features ensure sensitive information remains secure regardless of its location within the hybrid network environment.

Additional Security Fabric Highlights

• Elevated Endpoint Security: The Fortinet Security Fabric’s unified agent, FortiClient, now boasts comprehensive Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) capabilities. This integration delivers enhanced ransomware protection, behavior-based threat detection, and automated response functionalities, alongside improved visibility, control, and ZTNA remote access features. FortiClient offers a unified agent solution encompassing VPN, ZTNA, endpoint protection platform (EPP), EDR, DEM, network access control (NAC), and SASE, significantly reducing agent sprawl and simplifying management within complex environments.
• Addressing the Cybersecurity Skills Gap: To address the ongoing cybersecurity skills shortage, FortiAnalyzer now provides out-of-the-box Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) and Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) services. These features streamline security operations (SecOps) adoption and expansion. Additionally, Managed FortiGate Services further support network operations teams.

The Power of a Unified FortiOS Operating System

Fortinet’s unwavering commitment to a single operating system (FortiOS) and custom ASICs translates into tangible benefits for businesses of all sizes:

• Advanced Firewall Performance: FortiOS has established itself as a leading firewall operating system, delivering exceptional performance and power efficiency when paired with Fortinet’s custom-designed ASICs. Consistent security policies and centralized management are ensured across on-premises, remote, and cloud environments through the use of a single OS across all FortiGate models.
• ZTNA and Segmentation: ZTNA controls meticulously manage user access to applications and data, while internal segmentation firewalls powered by FortiOS effectively limit the lateral movement of cyber threats within the network.
• OT/IoT/Edge Security: The FortiOS operating system offers comprehensive control and protection capabilities for wired and wireless networks. This security seamlessly extends to the network edge, providing robust protection for IoT devices, OT networks, and other agentless devices.
• Unified SASE Platform: Fortinet’s global, highly scalable network, powered by FortiOS and strategically located Points of Presence (PoPs) worldwide, safeguards the hybrid workforce and thin edges. This network is further bolstered by industry-leading SD-WAN capabilities integrated within FortiOS, optimizing user experience.
• AI-Driven Security Operations: The Fortinet Security Fabric’s advanced AI-powered security operations are enabled by the unified ingestion of data, telemetry, and threat intelligence through a central data lake and the consistent application of FortiOS across the entire platform.

The Fortinet Security Fabric Platform: A Holistic Approach to Cybersecurity

The Fortinet Security Fabric platform delivers a comprehensive cybersecurity solution.