Fortinet Integrates New AI Features into Its Offerings

Highlights:

• Fortinet reports that platform users can now utilize FortiAI to expedite analytics tasks, including crafting queries to identify cybersecurity issues.
• Administrators have the capability to oversee their organizations’ infrastructure powered by Fortinet using a software solution known as FortiManager.

Recently, Fortinet Inc. has integrated new AI features crafted to assist organizations in efficiently overseeing their network infrastructure, identifying cybersecurity concerns, and resolving them with greater ease.

The unveiling took place during Fortinet Inc.’s annual Accelerate 2024 product event in Las Vegas. Alongside various other new tools aimed at simplifying tasks like safeguarding employees from malicious websites, AI features were introduced. A significant portion of these upgrades will be included in FortiOS 9.6, the latest iteration of the operating system supporting numerous core products of the company.

Fortinet, headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, is a prominent supplier of networking hardware and cybersecurity software. Its hardware offerings encompass products like Ethernet switches and wireless access points. Additionally, Fortinet markets firewall appliances designed to safeguard network equipment, along with cybersecurity applications tailored for tasks such as malware detection.

Administrators have the capability to oversee their organizations’ Fortinet-powered infrastructure through a software solution known as FortiManager. In this latest update, the company has seamlessly incorporated an AI chatbot named FortiAI into FortiManager. This chatbot enables administrators to access technical details about network equipment from product guides and also to monitor the equipment for any potential technical issues.

FortiAI is now accessible through another offering termed Fortinet Analyze. This platform serves as an analytics tool capable of scanning the data generated by a company’s network to identify vulnerabilities, malicious activities, and other potential issues. Equipped with built-in automation tools, it pledges to minimize the manual efforts required to mitigate such risks.

Fortinet asserts that platform users can now utilize FortiAI to accelerate analytics duties, such as crafting queries to uncover cybersecurity threats. The tool also pledges to streamline the incident response process, minimizing the required effort. Additionally, two other Fortinet cybersecurity applications, FortiSIEM and FortiSIEM, are undergoing integrations with the chatbot, aiming to reduce manual tasks for administrators.

In a blog post, John Maddison, the Chief Marketing Officer at Fortinet, stated, “All companies would like to reduce operational costs while increasing the effectiveness of their security posture. A cybersecurity platform approach can achieve this by integrating point products, reducing overhead, and enabling native automation across multiple products.”

Another function that FortiAI aims to simplify is the migration of on-premises workloads to the cloud. Fortinet states that the latest update empowers the chatbot to offer guidance on the optimal method for transitioning an application to the primary public clouds. The company highlights that FortiAI is conducive to both the planning and deployment phases of such projects.

The introduction of the new AI tools recently coincided with several additional features aimed primarily at enhancing the security of customers’ networks.

A lightweight program known as FortiAgent is installed on devices that are protected by a number of Fortinet cybersecurity products. In order to identify breach indicators and other problems, the agent gathers technical information about the device it runs on. A new version of Fortinet’s software is being released, which has the ability to automatically block malicious programs and identify them based on their behavior.

A new browser isolation feature complements the improved FortiAgent. Fortinet claims that this feature enables employees to view websites in a secure sandbox, preventing malware from accessing their work computers. Concurrently, the business is introducing a number of network management features that make chores like setting up Wi-Fi 7 access points and tracking connection speeds easier.