Unified Threat Management

Unified threat management (UTM) or unified security management (USM), In theory, UTM is the evolution of the traditional firewall into an all-inclusive security product able to perform multiple security functions within one single system: network firewalling, network intrusion detection/prevention (IDS/IPS), gateway antivirus (AV), gateway anti-spam, VPN, content filtering, load balancing, data loss prevention, and on-appliance reporting.

The worldwide UTM market was worth approximately $1.2 billion in 2007, with a forecast of 35–40% compounded annual growth rate through 2011. The primary market of UTM providers is small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), although a few providers are now providing UTM solutions for small offices/home offices.

UTM solutions emerged of the need to stem the increasing number of attacks on corporate information systems via hacking, viruses, and worms from blended and insider threats. Newer attack techniques target the user as the weakest link in an enterprise, with serious repercussions. Data security and the prevention unauthorized employee access has become a major business concern for enterprises today, because malicious intent and the resultant loss of confidential data can lead to huge financial losses as well as corresponding legal liabilities. Enterprises have only recently begun to recognize that user ignorance can lead to compromised network security.

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Wikipedia