The Proofpoint Messaging Security Gateway P840 (v5.0) had excellent overall anti-spam performance, third in filtering and fifth in false positives, with a fair number of bulk false positives, but more than 97 percent of spam caught. And the feature set is extensive, including application-layer firewall features for the back-end mail server, policy-based encryption, and capable outbound content protection.
The Proofpoint solution is very much an enterprise-oriented, security-focused appliance, to the extent that it enforces complex passwords for the administrator login. Passwords must be at least seven characters and must contain punctuation as well as numbers, thus guaranteeing that passwords will be written down and stuck to a monitor somewhere. In spite of the appliance having a default IP address, the initial configuration can only be done by KVM, using a USB keyboard, which many KVMs don’t support, meaning that the initial configuration will require carrying a separate USB keyboard and monitor to the system for the first minute of setup.
[ Compare spam filtering statistics for the mail security appliances tested. Compare their features. Return to “Test Center guide: Mail security appliances.” See reviews of the appliances from Barracuda, BorderWare, Cisco, Mirapoint, Proofpoint, Secure Computing, Sendio, Symantec, and Tumbleweed. ]
The burdensome initial configuration out of the way, the rest of the configuration, LDAP included, is easy and straightforward. The administration interface is first rate, and there are many options for securing corporate data. Filtering for compliance or protection of intellectual property is simple to set up and flexible to administer.
The enterprise class features include a good Outlook plug-in, excellent reporting and logging tools, and user, group, and domain-based policies. Proofpoint includes lists of words for secure content management and policy enforcement, and appliances can be clustered for additional capacity and fault tolerance.
Although the pricing for the Proofpoint Messaging Security Gateway is the highest of the products tested (for 1,000 users), it offers a broad set of features and a high spam catch rate.
| Test Center Scorecard | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |  |  | |
| 30% | 30% | 20% | 10% | 10% | ||
| Proofpoint Messaging Security Gateway P840 v5.0 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
8.1
Very Good
|
This whitepaper explains the terminology and concepts behind Data Replication technologies and establishes some sizing rules through worked examples. Learn the new paradigm in disaster tolerance—protect data anywhere.
Download now »
Server virtualization is a popular option for dealing with mounting datacenter costs. Another equally promising approach is the use of an Application Delivery Controller. Citrix NetScaler provides a low-cost way for organizations to reduce their server count and accrue cost savings from a reduction in space, cooling, power and personnel.
Download now »
The emergence of WLANs has created a new breed of security threats to enterprise networks.
Included in HP ProCurve WLAN solutions is security technology that alleviates threats from WLANs through:
* Monitoring wireless activity inside and out of the enterprise
* Classifying WLAN transmissions into harmful and harmless
* Preventing transmissions that pose a security threat to the enterprise network
* Locating participating devices for physical remediation
Effectively address data protection challenges, implementing solutions that help store and protect business–critical data while cutting costs and improving efficiency and reliability.
Download now »
Sign up to receive Security Resource Alerts
This white paper provides guidance on how to develop a strategic approach to managing and monitoring logs, a key function required for compliance with many regulatory mandates and a critical defense against security threats.
Download now! »
Learn about the processes and technologies that support security information management (SIM) operations, as well as the business case for SIM. The series examines different options for implementing SIM and gives you evaluation criteria for selecting the best option for your organization.
Download now! »
Learn the strategies, actions, and capabilities that Best-in-Class organizations employ and technologies they choose to obtain superior performance against various security performance metrics. This report provides guidelines for identifying which security solutions to consume as a MSS and defines best practices for choosing and managing MSSPs.
Download now! »
10 Recommendations
