eSoft's main product lines are the InstaGate and ThreatWall appliances, hardware devices that provide combined gateway-based security offerings. The ThreatWall products are billed as "Content Security Gateways," which are designed to complement the customer's existing firewall and VPN infrastructure; while the InstaGate appliances include built-in core firewall and IPsec VPN capabilities and are therefore billed as Unified Threat Management appliances.

Both product lines feature an architecture that allows them to be functionally upgraded by the customer as needed via the loading of "SoftPak" modules. Such SoftPak modules enhance the security and filtering functions of the devices to add features including anti-virus, anti-spam, and URL filtering as the user needs them, via the vendor's SoftPak Director. Some of the currently available SoftPaks include:

- Gateway Anti-Virus: With scanning support for HTTP, FTP, SMTP, and POP3 protocols

- Gateway Anti-Spyware: Examines Web pages, downloads, active content (ActiveX, Java applets), and E-mail attachments to block known spyware. URL filtering is also utilized to block access to known spyware sites as well as block transmissions from infected computers to such sites.

- SpamFilter: Detects spam through a combination of heuristic analysis, word matching, white and black lists, server authentication, address verification and fingerprint checks

- Intrusion Prevention: With support for both inbound (scanning for worms, application vulnerabilities, buffer overflows, cross-site scripting, etc.) and outbound (backdoor exploits and infected computers) traffic inspection. Additionally, the IPS SoftPak allows for the policy-based blocking of IM and P2P apps.

Other SoftPaks offered by the vendor include an Email Content Filter, High Availability, VPN Manager, and more. Additionally, specialized SoftPaks called "ThreatPaks" offer URL-based site and content filtering (Web ThreatPak), gateway anti-virus, IP, and application control (Network ThreatPak), and E-mail specific (anti-virus, anti-spam, etc.) features in single-pack offerings.

ThreatWall models available as of this writing include the dektop format 250, with 4 10/100 ports; the 1U 450, with 4 Gig Ethernet ports; and the 2U 650, with 6 Gig Ethernet ports. The 650 also boasts dual 120 GB drives with RAID 1 mirroring (the other two models include single drives in 40 and 80 GB capacities, respectively). Two general flavors of ThreatWalls are available: ThreatWall Email, which includes the E-mail ThreatPak with the network and Web ThreatPaks available separately; and ThreatWall Web, which includes the Web ThreatPak with the Network and Email ThreatPaks optional.

The InstaGate product family ranges from the InstaGate 404 (with four 10/100 ports), through the 4 GigE port 604 and the 6 GigE port 806. Drive configurations are similar to the ThreatWalls. Firewall throughput ranges from 100 to 750 Mb/sec, while VPN performance ranges from 80 to 400 Mb/sec.

The latest release of the vendor's products includes enhancements to the spam and content filtering tools; including the ability to scan PDFs and images, and an IP reputation filter that allows suspicious servers to be blocked based on their past activities.

The ThreatWall and InstaGate appliances are available now. Visit the eSoft Web site for further information.