Juniper Networks
(
JNPR
) has announced enhancements to its Mykonos security software,
which is based on its ground-breaking Intrusion Deception™
Technology that defends against web-based threats in real time. The
company has now announced 30 new features for more comprehensive
protection from hackers and attackers.
Apart from traditional product networking and services, the
company is trying to offer security software to diversify its
business model and add new sources of revenue. The importance of
the recently acquired Myconos lies in its technology, which
for the first time introduces a dynamic element to the fight
against hackers first such step to expand into the the security
segment..
As a result, the company was able to pioneer the Web Intrusion
Prevention System, which uses this "deception-based technology' to
detect and divert attacks. The technology lures hackers with
deceptive data and then tags and monitors them, ultimately blocking
their future threat attempts.
This technology has improved Juniper's security products, a
business where the company has struggled to stand up against rivals
such as
Fortinet Inc.
(
FTNT
) and Palo Alto Networks Inc. Web applications are easy targets to
cyber threats. Hence, end-users would opt for optimum security to
the Web applications at a lower ownership cost.
As a diversification strategy, the company is tightening its
grip on the cloud computing market. It recently made significant
additions to the Juniper Networks vGW Virtual Gateway solution for
customers looking for a comprehensive virtualization security
platform.
These newly added functions with virtualization-specific
antivirus (AV) will secure and continuously monitor malware and
hackers, while ensuring that security does not impede virtualized
workload performance or present a barrier to implementing
large-scale virtualized environments.
The company is gradually coming up with innovative and
user-friendly solutions to cater to a variety of customers in the
cloud computing space. Juniper provides innovative solutions to
integrate physical and virtual network security at scale with vGW
Virtual Gateway and the SRX series. Moreover, the company has also
made provisions to provide a tightly-integrated virtual solution
for -in-depth protection and centralized security management.
Although the company is adopting new strategies to ramp up its
business volume, Juniper's operating performance was mediocre in
the last quarter, as Juniper was not able to control its operating
expense as a result of an increase in headcount. The company's
revenue in the EMEA and the Americas moved up and it also provided
impressive second quarter guidance.
Although strategic alliances and new acquisitions are positives
for Juniper, stiff competition from industry stalwarts, such as
Cisco Systems Inc.
(
CSCO
) and
Hewlett-Packard Company
(
HPQ
), coupled with high European exposure will likely weigh on the
stock.
Juniper has a Zacks #3 Rank, implying a short-term Hold
rating.
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