HPE Aruba Networking launches new AI network security and visibility products to effectively combat generative AI security threats

1. At the RSA Conference, HPE Aruba Networking announced new AI network security controls to address the growing threat of generative artificial intelligence (AI) security.
2. HPE will include new AI-driven security visibility and monitoring capabilities in HPE Aruba Networking Central to address Internet of Things (IoT) security risks;
3. HPE Aruba Networking Secure Services Edge (SSE) will launch new Firewall as a Service (FWaaS) capabilities that extend protection of data and devices without the need to deploy physical appliances;
4. The latest product lineup also includes the new Secure Web Gateway (SWG) functionality integrated into the HPE Aruba Networking EdgeConnect series, providing a one-stop solution for comprehensive security protection.

The rise of generative AI and evolving security threats are prompting security teams to view the network as a powerful tool in the zero-trust security architecture. At the 2024 RSA Conference, HPE Aruba Networking continued to leverage its advantages in the field of secure networks, launching new AI network security control features , expanding built-in zero-trust security capabilities, and enabling security teams to fully protect valuable AI assets from edge to cloud .

HPE Aruba Networking helps enterprises protect AI data, models and applications at scale by integrating AI-driven identity analytics, security policies and edge-to-cloud implementation, which is critical as enterprise AI assets face increasing threats.

At the RSA Conference, HPE Aruba Networking demonstrated the advantages of a single-vendor secure access service edge (SASE) solution that integrates Axis Security innovations. Antonio Neri, CEO of HPE, called the combination of Axis Security and the HPE Aruba Networking portfolio the industry's "most comprehensive edge portfolio," and said , "We are integrating a unified security framework through SASE that will include firewall capabilities and integrate with zero-trust network access (ZTNA), cloud access security brokers (CASBs), and SWG. Through the integration with Axis Security, HPE Aruba Networking will not only provide users with secure firewall capabilities, but also a more comprehensive connectivity layer, as well as a range of secure network products such as private 5G networks acquired through the acquisition of Athonet and newly released Wi-Fi 7 access points."

HPE Aruba Networking has always insisted on ensuring security while building network infrastructure. After acquiring Axis Security, it continued to focus on enhancing security protection from edge to cloud, and at the same time is committed to building an "AI-enabled secure converged network" to provide all-round support for deeply empowering security and network teams.

Adds comprehensive AI-driven observability security and behavioral analytics capabilities to HPE Aruba Networking Central

Currently, a large amount of AI training data comes from unmanaged IoT devices. When IoT devices communicate with cloud services for updates, telemetry, or other operations, they need to be transmitted over the network , making them vulnerable to network threats. In addition, BYOD and business department devices on the network are often outside the purview of the IT team and may be hacked and damaged without any warning . The new AI-driven IoT discovery and classification capabilities built into HPE Aruba Networking Central help address IoT security risks by providing enhanced visibility and identification of network-connected devices and continuously monitoring for abnormal or deceptive behavior.

Relying on the AI-driven analysis capabilities provided by Client Insights in HPE Aruba Networking Central, the new generation of HPE Aruba Networking Central uses machine learning models to analyze dynamic device attributes, such as traffic characteristics and connection status, network residence time and other behavioral characteristics, to accurately classify and identify IoT and traditional devices. HPE Aruba Networking Central AIOps has a powerful ability to automatically build a baseline of network activities in terms of troubleshooting and remediation. Now HPE Aruba Networking uses AI to extend this function to each device. This not only enables more accurate and automated device fingerprinting to support zero-trust security, but also uses behavioral baselines to identify abnormal behaviors that may indicate that the device has been hacked or attacked.

In addition, AI-driven device analytics are integrated into other AI capabilities to enhance security across the board. For example, HPE Aruba Networking uses AIOps and machine learning models to intelligently put access points (APs) into a dormant state when device usage is low, eliminating potential entry points for malicious activity and reducing the attack surface.

Extend firewall security controls with HPE Aruba Networking SSE

As AI resources and applications become increasingly distributed across on-premises and cloud environments, security teams need greater flexibility in implementing and enforcing access controls and traffic segmentation.

HPE Aruba Networking SSE's new Firewall as a Service (FWaaS) capabilities provide security protection for data and devices anytime, anywhere without the cost and complexity of traditional appliances. FWaaS is combined with the local security controls provided by the built-in firewalls of HPE Aruba Networking switches, wireless access points, gateways, and WAN devices, and further improves firewall protection from edge to cloud by implementing policies in the cloud, thereby improving flexibility, scalability, and performance. With the integration of FWaaS capabilities with ZTNA, CASB, SWG, and Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM) in HPE Aruba Networking SSE services, security teams can easily manage all SSE services using a single user interface and global policies.

In addition, a new dashboard in HPE Aruba Networking SSE provides enhanced visibility into the enterprise's security posture. The dashboard includes views of applications in use, user activity, security events, and ZTNA adoption. Security personnel can use this information to identify shadow IT applications and reduce the risks associated with unauthorized access.

Integrate SD-WAN and SWG to accelerate SASE deployment

Securing IoT and finding an easy-to-implement entry point are two of the two challenges network and security teams typically face when adopting a single-vendor SASE solution to protect distributed users, devices, data, and applications.

The newly integrated SWG feature in the HPE Aruba Networking EdgeConnect series helps teams address these challenges and provide a one-stop solution for comprehensive network-based threat protection for all types of users and devices, including unmanaged devices and IoT devices. Unmanaged device and IoT device traffic is redirected to HPE Aruba Networking SSE through a dedicated channel on the EdgeConnect gateway , without the need to install and manage software agents.

SD-WAN with SWG function provides seamless and automated high-performance connection for enterprises to implement security control at the local edge and extend to the cloud-based security service edge, thus significantly enhancing the security protection capabilities of enterprises. On this basis, users can easily expand security services to add ZTNA and CASB functions to create a comprehensive SASE solution.

HPE Aruba Networking Zero Trust Access Success Story: Bethesda Health Group

To meet the needs of a tech-savvy workforce and residents, Bethesda Health Group has adopted a cloud-first strategy to adapt to the mobile trend . This transformation has brought with it cybersecurity and zero trust requirements.

Building on its existing partnership with HPE Aruba Networking for wired, wireless and SD-WAN networks, Bethesda Health Group has further enhanced its infrastructure with a fully cloud-delivered SASE platform and SSE solution from HPE Aruba Networking, which combines multiple secure access capabilities into a single, easy-to-use cloud service that automatically adjusts policies based on dynamic changes in user, device and application environments.

“The network security provided by HPE Aruba Networking SSE has helped us build a powerful, unified SASE platform as we continue to advance our cloud-first strategy,” said Michael Keller, director of information technology at Bethesda Health Group .

About HPE Aruba Networking

Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, is a global leader in secure, intelligent edge-to-cloud network solutions that use AI to automate networks and leverage data to create fruitful business outcomes. Through Aruba ESP (Edge Services Platform) and NaaS (Network as a Service) models, Aruba uses a cloud-native approach to help customers meet connectivity, security, and capital requirements in campus, branch, data center, and remote worker environments, covering all network connection methods such as wired, wireless LAN, and wide area network (WAN).