We’re happy to announce the provision of Sophos Firewall v20 MR1. It’s our largest upkeep launch but, rivaling a significant firewall model by way of new options.
What’s new
Firewall safety and entry
- Gadget entry updates present extra granular management over which companies are accessible on the WAN, enhancing your firewall’s safety posture (see under for extra particulars)
- New companies added to the Native ACL exceptions checklist: AD SSO, captive portal, RADIUS SSO, consumer 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 boost safety and efficiency for SSL VPN. See the main points under for incompatibilities and beneficial options.
SD-WAN and VPN enhancements
- Scaled SD-WAN minimal 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 consumer 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 remove 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 easy methods to 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 area for IP, MAC, FQDN, and repair objects
- Improved IPv6 DHCP-PD prefix replace
- New CLI choice to bypass system-generated 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 notice 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): Website-to-site SSL VPNs gained’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 similar time. Alternatively, you should use site-to-site IPsec or RED tunnels.
- Legacy SSL VPN consumer (end-of-life): Distant entry SSL VPN tunnels gained’t be established with the legacy SSL VPN consumer, which is already end-of-life. You should utilize the Sophos Join consumer or third-party purchasers, such because the OpenVPN consumer, or use distant entry IPsec tunnels.
- UTM9 OS: Website-to-site SSL VPNs gained’t be established between UTM9 OS and SFOS 2v0.0 MR1. We advocate that you simply migrate these gadgets to v20.0 MR1. Alternatively, you should use site-to-site IPsec or RED tunnels.
Full launch notes
The way to get the firmware and documentation
Sophos Firewall OS v20 MR1 is a free improve for all licensed Sophos Firewall clients and must be utilized to all supported firewall gadgets as quickly as attainable to make sure that you’ve got 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 linked gadgets 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 consult with the Improve Data 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 just a few of those nice new options intimately…
Gadget entry safety
You’ll want to try the newest machine entry enhancements and restrict the companies you make obtainable on the WAN to enhance your safety posture:
What’s new:
- New companies added : IPsec/RED
- ACL exception rule helps new host varieties: FQDN host, FQDN host group, MAC tackle, MAC tackle checklist
- ACL exception guidelines now assist new companies: AD SSO, captive portal, Radius SSO, consumer authentication, Chromebook, wi-fi, SMTP, SNMP, RED, IPsec
- Gadget 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 may 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 not required!
Right here’s the way it works:
- Enter the machine serial quantity in Sophos Central
- Preconfigure some important settings in Sophos Central, corresponding to time zone, LAN, WAN and DHCP settings, and preliminary safety preferences
- Deploy the firewall on the distant location by connecting energy and WAN cables – and energy it on. The firewall will robotically connect with Sophos Central at start-up after which obtain and apply the configuration from Step 2.
- Now you can handle the firewall and end the setup in Sophos Central
Seek the advice of the total documentation for particulars.
Generative AI firewall assistant
A brand new generative-AI powered Sophos Assistant is in-built that can assist 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’d like assist configuring DNAT, you may merely ask:
And you’ll not solely get a quick set of directions to assist information you, but additionally a complete checklist of sources to do a deeper dive if wanted.
Automated language detection at login
Your language can be robotically chosen on the login display screen based mostly in your browser preferences.
Total, this launch is a implausible replace to your firewall, and as standard, it’s free for all licensed Sophos Firewall clients. With Sophos, you proceed to get super added worth with each launch.
Maintain your firmware updated
Sophos Firewall integrates an revolutionary hotfix functionality that allows 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 allows a speedy 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 guide effort in your half.
Nonetheless, 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 clients, there’s no purpose to not make the most of all the good enhancements in each launch.
