Sophos Firewall v20 MR1 is now out there – Sophos Information

We’re happy to announce the supply of Sophos Firewall v20 MR1. It’s our largest upkeep launch but, rivaling a serious firewall model when it comes to new options.

What’s new

Firewall safety and entry

• System entry updates present extra granular management over which companies are accessible on the WAN, enhancing your firewall’s safety posture (see beneath for extra particulars)
• New companies added to the Native ACL exceptions record: AD SSO, captive portal, RADIUS SSO, shopper authentication, Chromebook, wi-fi, SMTP, RED, and IPsec
• Added flexibility in entry rule exceptions with assist for FQDN hosts, host teams, and MAC addresses

OpenVPN upgraded to v2.6.0

• The OpenVPN module in Sophos Firewall has been upgraded to v2.6.0 to reinforce safety and efficiency for SSL VPN. See the main points beneath for incompatibilities and really useful options.

SD-WAN and VPN enhancements

• Scaled SD-WAN minimal site visitors disruption with a 4x enchancment in gateway availability time throughout HA failover and machine reboot occasions
• Distant entry SSL VPN now supplies an OpenVPN 3.0 shopper for customers to obtain from the VPN portal
• IPsec Part-1 IKEv2 assist for GCM and suite-B ciphers, offering higher interoperability and throughput
• DHCP Busybox enhancements with a default lease time of 30 seconds to eradicate WAN disconnection points

Zero-touch deployment

• True zero-touch deployment of recent firewalls is now potential through Sophos Central with out the necessity for a useful resource on-site with a USB key (extra on the right way to use this beneath)

Different enhancements

• New generative-AI assistant for serving to along with your firewall administration (see instance beneath)
• Localization language auto-detection at login primarily based on browser language choice
• A brand new debug file obtain choice
• New description subject for IP, MAC, FQDN, and repair objects
• Improved IPv6 DHCP-PD prefix replace
• New CLI choice to bypass system-generated site visitors from IPsec site-to-site VPN within the case of “Any” matching standards
• New OpenVPN v2.6.0 and StrongSwan v5.9.11 up to date

Necessary notice on SSL VPN compatibility

OpenVPN has been upgraded to 2.6.0 on this launch model. Firewalls upgraded to v20 MR1 received’t set up SSL VPN tunnels with the next shoppers and firewall variations:

• SFOS v18.5 and earlier variations (end-of-life): Web site-to-site SSL VPNs received’t be established between SFOS v18.5 or earlier variations and SFOS v20.0 MR1. We advocate that you simply plan an improve to v20.0 MR1 for all related firewalls on the identical time. Alternatively, you need to use site-to-site IPsec or RED tunnels.
• Legacy SSL VPN shopper (end-of-life): Distant entry SSL VPN tunnels received’t be established with the legacy SSL VPN shopper, which is already end-of-life. You should use the Sophos Join shopper or third-party shoppers, such because the OpenVPN shopper, or use distant entry IPsec tunnels.
• UTM9 OS: Web site-to-site SSL VPNs received’t be established between UTM9 OS and SFOS 2v0.0 MR1. We advocate that you simply migrate these units to v20.0 MR1. Alternatively, you need to use site-to-site IPsec or RED tunnels.

Full launch notes

How you can get the firmware and documentation

Sophos Firewall OS v20 MR1 is a free improve for all licensed Sophos Firewall prospects and needs to be utilized to all supported firewall units as quickly as potential to make sure that you’ve all the most recent safety, reliability, and efficiency fixes.

This firmware launch will comply with our normal replace course of. You’ll be able to manually obtain SFOS v20 MR1 from Sophos Central and replace anytime. In any other case, it is going to be rolled out to all related units over the approaching weeks. A notification will seem in your native machine or Sophos Central administration console when the replace is offered, permitting you to schedule the replace at your comfort.

Sophos Firewall OS v20 MR1 is a totally supported improve from all earlier variations of v20, v19.5 and v19.0. Please check with the Improve Info tab within the launch notes for extra particulars.

Full product documentation is offered on-line and inside the product.

Right here’s a take a look at a number of of those nice new options intimately…

System entry safety

Remember to take a look at the most recent machine entry enhancements and restrict the companies you make out there on the WAN to enhance your safety posture:

What’s new:

• New companies added : IPsec/RED
• ACL exception rule helps new host sorts: FQDN host, FQDN host group, MAC deal with, MAC deal with record
• ACL exception guidelines now assist new companies: AD SSO, captive portal, Radius SSO, shopper authentication, Chromebook, wi-fi, SMTP, SNMP, RED, IPsec
• System entry administration web page enhancements, with a brand new VPN service group and added information for exception guidelines

New zero-touch firewall deployment from Sophos Central

Now you possibly can pre-define, deploy, after which end the configuration of your distant firewalls with out having to do something on-site apart from plug it in.  A USB machine is now not required!

Right here’s the way it works:

1. Enter the machine serial quantity in Sophos Central
2. Preconfigure some important settings in Sophos Central, comparable to time zone, LAN, WAN and DHCP settings, and preliminary safety preferences
3. Deploy the firewall on the distant location by connecting energy and WAN cables – and energy it on. The firewall will routinely connect with Sophos Central at start-up after which obtain and apply the configuration from Step 2.
4. Now you can handle the firewall and end the setup in Sophos Central

Seek the advice of the full documentation for particulars.

Generative AI firewall assistant

A brand new generative-AI powered Sophos Assistant is inbuilt that will help you with managing your firewall. You’ll be able to ask the assistant any plain-language query and the assistant will present directions and hyperlinks to useful assets.

For instance, if you would like assist configuring DNAT, you possibly can merely ask:

And you’ll not solely get a short set of directions to assist information you, but additionally a complete record of assets to do a deeper dive if wanted.

Computerized language detection at login

Your language might be routinely chosen on the login display screen primarily based in your browser preferences.

Total, this launch is a improbable replace to your firewall, and as typical, it’s free for all licensed Sophos Firewall prospects. With Sophos, you proceed to get great added worth with each launch.

Preserve your firmware updated

Sophos Firewall integrates an progressive hotfix functionality that permits us to push pressing and necessary patches out to the firewall “over the air” to handle any new zero-day vulnerabilities or different essential points that come up. This permits a fast repair to be utilized with out requiring any downtime usually related to a firmware improve and restart. You get the advantage of necessary fixes being utilized instantly with none handbook effort in your half.

Nevertheless, it’s tremendous necessary to make sure your firewall firmware is stored updated as non-urgent safety fixes are sometimes built-in into upkeep releases. Since all firmware updates are free for licensed Sophos Firewall prospects, there’s no motive to not reap the benefits of all the good enhancements in each launch.