Sophos Firewall v20 MR1 is now accessible – Sophos Information

We’re happy to announce the provision of Sophos Firewall v20 MR1. It’s our greatest upkeep launch but, rivaling a significant firewall model by way of new options.

What’s new

Firewall safety and entry

• System entry updates present extra granular management over which providers are accessible on the WAN, enhancing your firewall’s safety posture (see under for extra particulars)
• New providers added to the Native ACL exceptions listing: 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 under for incompatibilities and really helpful 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 gives an OpenVPN 3.0 shopper for customers to obtain from the VPN portal
• IPsec Section-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 latest firewalls is now attainable through Sophos Central with out the necessity for a useful resource on-site with a USB key (extra on how one can use this under)

Different enhancements

• New generative-AI assistant for serving to together with your firewall administration (see instance under)
• Localization language auto-detection at login based mostly on browser language choice
• A brand new debug file obtain choice
• New description discipline 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

Essential be aware on SSL VPN compatibility

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

• SFOS v18.5 and earlier variations (end-of-life): Web site-to-site SSL VPNs gained’t be established between SFOS v18.5 or earlier variations and SFOS v20.0 MR1. We suggest that you simply plan an improve to v20.0 MR1 for all related firewalls on the identical time. Alternatively, you should utilize site-to-site IPsec or RED tunnels.
• Legacy SSL VPN shopper (end-of-life): Distant entry SSL VPN tunnels gained’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 purchasers, such because the OpenVPN shopper, or use distant entry IPsec tunnels.
• UTM9 OS: Web site-to-site SSL VPNs gained’t be established between UTM9 OS and SFOS 2v0.0 MR1. We suggest that you simply migrate these gadgets to v20.0 MR1. Alternatively, you should utilize site-to-site IPsec or RED tunnels.

Full launch notes

Methods to get the firmware and documentation

Sophos Firewall OS v20 MR1 is a free improve for all licensed Sophos Firewall prospects and must be utilized to all supported firewall gadgets as quickly as attainable to make sure that you could have all the newest safety, reliability, and efficiency fixes.

This firmware launch will observe our customary replace course of. You possibly can 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 gadgets over the approaching weeks. A notification will seem in your native machine or Sophos Central administration console when the replace is out there, permitting you to schedule the replace at your comfort.

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

Full product documentation is out there on-line and throughout the product.

Right here’s a have a look at just a few of those nice new options intimately…

System entry safety

You’ll want to try the newest machine entry enhancements and restrict the providers you make accessible on the WAN to enhance your safety posture:

What’s new:

• New providers added : IPsec/RED
• ACL exception rule helps new host sorts: FQDN host, FQDN host group, MAC deal with, MAC deal with listing
• ACL exception guidelines now assist new providers: 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 data 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 aside from plug it in.  A USB machine is 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, resembling 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 possibly can ask the assistant any plain-language query and the assistant will present directions and hyperlinks to useful sources.

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

And you’ll not solely get a short set of directions to assist information you, but in addition a complete listing of sources to do a deeper dive if wanted.

Automated language detection at login

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

Total, this launch is a unbelievable replace to your firewall, and as normal, 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 vital patches out to the firewall “over the air” to handle any new zero-day vulnerabilities or different vital points that come up. This permits a speedy repair to be utilized with out requiring any downtime usually related to a firmware improve and restart. You get the good thing about vital fixes being utilized instantly with none guide effort in your half.

Nevertheless, it’s tremendous vital to make sure your firewall firmware is saved 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 benefit from all the nice enhancements in each launch.