Palo Alto Networks PA-500 Series Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFWs) comprise the PA-505, PA-510, PA520, PA-540, PA-545-POE, PA-550, PA-555-POE, and PA-560 models. This series brings ML-powered NGFW capabilities to distributed enterprise branch offices, retail locations, and midsize businesses.

The controlling element of the PA-500 Series NGFWs is PAN-OS®, the same software that runs all Palo Alto Networks NGFWs. PAN-OS natively classifies all traffic, inclusive of applications, threats, and content, and then ties that traffic to the user regardless of location or device type. The application, content, and user-the elements that run your business-serve as the basis of your security policies, resulting in an improved security posture and reduced incident response time. PAN-OS embeds machine learning (ML) in the core of the firewall to provide inline signatureless attack prevention for filebased attacks while identifying and immediately stopping never-before-seen phishing attempts.

Application Identification and Categorization with Full Layer 7 Inspection

App-ID™ identifies and categorizes all applications, on all ports, all the time, with full Layer 7 inspection, supporting the following capabilities:

• Uses advanced techniques, such as protocol decoding, heuristics, and signature matching, to accurately identify applications across the network, regardless of the port, protocol, or encryption methods used. The optional App-ID Cloud Engine (ACE) service provides on-demand App-IDs for SaaS applications.
• Provides a comprehensive understanding of the risks and values associated with various applications, which aids in informed decision-making about network security policies.
• Allows for the effective enforcement of security policies tailored to specific applications, by centralizing the identification and control of applications at the firewall level.
• Identifies and manages evasive or custom applications that typically bypass traditional security measures.
• Continuously updates its application identifications, ensuring it stays effective against the latest application trends and tactics.
• Uses cutting-edge AI techniques to enhance precision in identifying and categorizing AI-powered applications. These techniques ensure that even the most advanced and dynamic applications are accurately recognized and appropriately managed within the network.