Re: Is this for real

[Joseph S D Yao <jsdy () cospo osis gov>]

>    * It is not really an "air gap"
>    * IMHO, "air gap" it is just a buzzy phrase for a proxy firewall
>
> I have not actually evaluated the product, and have no idea how good a firewall
> it is, but it is basically a proxy firewall.  Evaluate it as such.  Comment:
> consider how much you can trust a vendor that gives a product an apparently
> misleading name like "air gap".

On the one hand, yes; but how much can you trust many vendors anyway?
They are run by their marketing groups.

On the other hand, that is exactly the phrase I use to describe what a
proxy firewall is to panicky upper management types who suddenly wake up
and realize that their computers are DIRECTLY CONNECTED to the Big Bad
Evil Internet.  No, I tell them, we have a proxy firewall in place.
Well, they've read their Upper Management magazines, and they know that
firewalls just let packets through and become easily hacked.  So I use
this phrase to explain the difference between a packet filter and a
proxying firewall.  It makes them feel that they understand it.  ;-)

--
Joe Yao                         jsdy () cospo osis gov - Joseph S. D. Yao
COSPO/OSIS Computer Support                                     EMT-B
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