If one of the main advantages of a next-generation firewall is application and protocol identification and control, then SSL decryption is a basic requirement. We looked at the SSL decryption capabilities of the next-generation firewalls to see how well they would be able to discover applications, protocols, and URLs hidden within encrypted connections.

SonicWALL's initial response to results of our SSL decryption tests was "you've got to be kidding - we go way faster than that." Indeed, the vendor's internal tests showed the Supermassive decrypting SSL traffic at rates well into the gigabit range, compared with less than 100Mbps in some of our tests.

Dell has acquired security vendor SonicWall for an undisclosed price. The acquisition is expected to be completed within the next 60 days.

A test by NSS Labs that found firewalls from five vendors are subject in one way or another to remote exploit by hackers has ignited furious response from vendors Fortinet and SonicWall.

Security vendor Fortinet has hit back against tests by NSS Labs that showed one of its high-end firewalls along with products from other vendors could be hacked using a 'TCP split handshake attack'.