Norman announced availability of the latest version of its Norman Network Protection (NNP) antimalware appliance proven in independent lab tests to dramatically improve protection against today's persistent IT infrastructure security attacks.

Highlights for the latest Norman Network Protection include:

• Support for scanning traffic for malware on mirrored (or SPAN) switch ports
• Ready for deployment in IPv6 networks
• A 64-bit Linux platform for superior performance
• Supports up to 10 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces
• High availability failover solution for continuous service
• URL custom content blocking
• Enhanced Windows file-sharing support

In a highly cluttered security appliance market, Norman's network protection solution stands out by delivering industry-leading malware protection with higher performance and at a fraction of the cost of expensive Unified Threat Management (UTM) devices priced up to 20 times more.

Easy-to install and easy-to-use NNP is engineered to protect manufacturers, SMB, financial institutions, health care and government agencies seeking the highest protection against today's exploding malware threats. Customers may use NNP in a defense-in-depth strategy to dramatically improve malware blocking – labs tests showing a possible effective doubling of malware protection.

"In today's security environment, organizations that fail to secure and manage the Web channel will likely suffer from higher rates of malware infection and data loss than industry averages. These organizations also will be less able to exploit new Web 2.0 marketing channels, collaborative tools and cost-saving opportunities," according to recent Gartner Group research.

NNP can be installed at the network perimeter, or placed between network nodes to block insider threats from compromised laptops, memory sticks and other mobile devices.

This version of NNP adds the mirror port feature, enabling the appliance to be used as a non-intrusive out-of-band scanning device. Customers can now implement NNP either as an in-line or out-of-band scanning device based on their preferences.

Strengthened by Norman's award-winning SandBox technology, NNP delivers proactive, real-time protection for today's business, government and manufacturing networks and eliminates threats without affecting productivity.

The ultrafast NNP appliance is built on a 64-bit Linux platform and supports up to 10 gigabit Ethernet networks, providing a real-time, front-end protection solution for the entire LAN and production environment. Multiple protocols are scanned to stop malicious programs, keeping the network clean and allowing safe traffic to pass through quickly and efficiently. NNP combines signature-based security with SandBox and DNA Matching technology to proactively stop malware.

"A growing number of enterprises are looking for a network antimalware device to augment the protection offered by the antivirus products on their endpoints," said Rick Moy, president of NSS Labs, Inc. "Organizations cannot simply rely on a single layer of antimalware protection. Defense-in-depth strategies are crucial, especially as malware is increasingly delivered via the web and social media."

"Network antimalware and antivirus solutions such as the Norman Network Protection appliance are an important part of a defense-in-depth strategy," Moy said.