Yoggie Security Systems has introduced inexpensive personal and small-business versions to its line of tiny, Linux-based firewalls for laptops and PCs. The Yoggie Gatekeeper “Personal” and “SOHO” models can detect and prevent intrusions, give parents control, and thwart viruses, spyware, SPAM, and phishing,… the company says.

Yoggie announced Gatekeeper last September, and launched it in January. The device was initially marketed to mobile and remote enterprise workers, and designed to be managed remotely via Yoggie's “Security Manager” product (pictured at right). Now, Yoggie is offering two new models that instead of an on-site Security Manager, appear to get updated virus fingerprints and other software updates from the company's own Internet servers.

The Yoggie Gatekeeper Personal is designed to protect a single system, while the SOHO model can run interference for up to five networked computers, when placed between a switch and router. Both devices share the same hardware/software platform as the original Yoggie, but with the Intel PXA270 processor clocked at 512MHz, instead of 624MHz, and without some software features. Yoggie's Ranbir Sahota explains, “Neither have the purely corporate functions, so no VPN and no Yoggie Management Server interface. This helps reduce the cost.”

Like the original Yoggie, both are said to offer “13-layer” security, including:

• Anti-Spam
• Anti-phishing
• Antispyware
• Antivirus
• Parent control system
• Transparent email proxies (POP3; SMTP)
• Transparent web proxies (HTTP; FTP)
• Intrusion detection system
• Intrusion prevention system
• Firewall
• Adaptive security policy
• Multi-layer security agent (Patent pending)
• Layer-8 security engine (Patent pending)

Yoggie's “13-layer” security architecture
Yoggie claims its Gatekeeper devices offer “FBI-level” security in an intuitive, one-step process — just plug it in. Additional touted benefits include:

• Offload security processing from laptops and PCs, improving performance
• Web-based configuration interface
• No need to install heavy software products that “pop up with confusing messages”
• Internet updates on hourly basis, without disturbing the user or hampering laptop resources
• Remove Gatekeeper and all network connections are stopped
• Centralized, all-in-one security
• Competitive pricing to software-only products

Yoggie CEO Shlomo Touboul stated, “This hassle free appliance makes enterprise level security universal while significantly improving productivity and the performance of computing devices.”

Availability

The Yoggie Gatekeeper Personal and SOHO seem to be available now via the company's E-Store, priced at $220. However, the company says both models will be available for a limited time for $200. After the first year, users must pay $30 annually to license software within the device — a pricing scheme the company says enables it to compete with software-only products offering “far less protection.”

Similar Linux-based gateway/firewall devices may be available from several companies, including: JCI, the Japanese MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) that acquired Arxceo, producer of the IP Ally; Innominate; and SSV, which is working on an even smaller, USB key form-factor.

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