FIPS 140-2 and IPv6 Enhancements in Latest Pulse Release

The funny thing about new features is that different people value different features.

Juniper Networks recently introduced our Pulse Secure Access Service 8.0 and Pulse Access Control Service 5.0 solutions.  While this was covered in a press release and in other blogs, these releases and blogs focused primarily on the very cool new MDM integration functionality but did not mention some new functionality I think very important to our US Government customers.  The complete list of new functionality is contained in Product Bulletin Number 800004- Updates for Junos Pulse Access Control Service and Secure Access Service

I have written in the past how FIPS 140-2 validation is important for encryption.  Federal Government policy requires Government systems that perform encryption to use FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic modules.

Pulse Desktop 5.0 now uses a FIPS validated encryption module- the Juniper Networks Pulse Cryptographic Module.  This module has FIPS validation certificate #2012.  This is the same cryptographic module used in Secure Access 7.4 and later and ACS 4.4 and later.    

In the case of the Access Control Service Application the Pulse Desktop client now provides FIPS compliant EAP-TTLS, EAP-TLS, and EAP-PEAP protocol support.  For the first time, the single Pulse desktop client can meet the FIPS needs of our US Government customers and provide both Network Access Control as well as Layer 3 VPN functionality in the same client.

The Pulse Secure Access and Access Control Service solutions have also expanded cipher-suite support for ephemeral keys.  New ephemeral key cipher suites include: TLS_DHE_RSA_WITH_AES128_CBC_SHA and TLS_DHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA.  These suites provide the perfect forward secrecy benefits of ephemeral keys, without requiring Elliptic Curve generated key pairs.

IPv6 support is also important to our Federal Government customers.  The Office of Management and Budget has mandated that Federal Networks update internal services to native IPv6 support by Sep 30, 2014.  The Pulse Secure Access Service solution expands on existing IPv6 functionality and adds support for IPv6 for active/passive clusters and adds support for IPv6-in-IPv6 tunneling.  Now Federal Government customers on IPv6 only devices, can securely access their IPv6 only networks.

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Juniper Networks Unveils Junos Pulse AppConnect to Deliver Simple Per-App Mobile Security From Application to Enterprise

SUNNYVALE, CA--(Marketwired - Dec 4, 2013) -  Juniper Networks (NYSE: JNPR), the industry leader in network innovation, today unveiled Junos® Pulse AppConnect software development kit (SDK) that enables per-application virtual private network (VPN) connectivity from both Apple iOS and Google Android devices to Juniper's Junos Pulse Secure Access Service.

Businesses are facing increasing demands from employees for easy access to corporate data and business applications from any device and anywhere. These demands make ensuring the proper level of security and access to information challenging for IT departments. As companies and government organizations are opening up access to sensitive data to a wider diversity of personal and corporate owned mobile devices, many are struggling to balance security with flexibility. It is imperative that they find ways to provide a level of control over Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) while not burdening end users with security that impairs productivity.

News Highlights:

Junos Pulse AppConnect - Junos Pulse AppConnect technology and SDK is the first solution to offer per-application SSL VPN connections on both Android and Apple iOS mobile devices. With AppConnect, enterprises will have more granular control over access to corporate networks and applications, preserving the security and integrity of their data, network and resources end-to-end. Application and data containerization on the device is a popular approach to MDM for companies that want to segment work and personal data on the device. However, this segmentation is often not extended to network communications. AppConnect enables companies, developers and application container solution providers, to secure data flowing from applications and application containers to enterprise networks through Junos Pulse Secure Access Service Gateways. Data privacy afforded by the container technology in AppConnect can be extended to the data in transit back to the corporate network -- transparently and on a per-application basis -- for Android and Apple iOS devices. The potential for corporate data leakage via applications on personally owned devices is subsequently greatly reduced. Juniper's new technology allows for VPN sessions to be established per application versus per device, reducing personal traffic on corporate networks and protecting information that really matters to the organization. For users, AppConnect relieves employee concerns that personal data is flowing over the corporate network and makes it much easier to connect. Users no longer need to launch a separate application to connect to the corporate network securely via VPN; Applications and application containers connect automatically to the private network. The Junos Pulse AppConnect SDK is generally available next week.

Supporting Quotes:

"We believe the VPN market is undergoing a transition from securing devices to securing applications end-to-end. Juniper's vision is that every user will securely and transparently access only authorized corporate data from any device (personal or company owned) through applications from anywhere," said Tamir Hardof, senior director security product marketing, Juniper Networks. "With AppConnect's per-application VPN technology Juniper is taking significant steps toward realizing this vision."

Additional Resources:

About Juniper Networks in Security
Juniper Networks builds secure and trusted networks with end-to-end security across every environment -- from the data center to campus and branch environments and to the device itself. Our security solutions give enterprise and service provider customers a competitive advantage as they set out to build the best networks on the planet.

About Juniper Networks
Juniper Networks (NYSE: JNPR) delivers innovation across routing, switching and security. From the network core down to consumer devices, Juniper Networks' innovations in software, silicon and systems transform the experience and economics of networking. Additional information can be found at Juniper Networks (www.juniper.net) or connect with Juniper on Twitter and Facebook.

Juniper Networks and Junos are registered trademarks of Juniper Networks, Inc. in the United States and other countries. The Juniper Networks and Junos logo are trademarks of Juniper Networks, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, or registered service marks are the property of their respective owners.

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