ZyXEL Communications, a leading provider of secure broadband networking, Internet access, connected home and routing products, today announced the availability of its USG40HE – a high performance security gateway for the connected smart home. The USG40HE offers business-class cyber protection to smart homes that increasingly depend on Internet for most modern services, including home surveillance and automation. It offers fiber-speed firewall throughput along with a combination of security services including Anti-Virus (AV), Intrusion Detection and Protection (IDP), Anti-Spam and Content Filtering to secure families from privacy-compromising and service-crippling cyber intrusions.

Adoption of smart home technology is on the rise as part of the Internet of Things (IoT) revolution. Families are increasingly reliant on cloud-based access and services for a range of home tasks, from surveillance, temperature and light control, to remote home and garage lock capabilities. The cloud-based nature of these services, which make them easily accessible to their owners anywhere – anytime, also exposes these services to others in cyberspace. The thought that any stranger can hack into a family’s surveillance webcam feed, steal private digital files or unlock their front door at will is terrifying and warrants the need for solid cybersecurity protection. ZyXEL’s USG40HE is designed with the latest in business-class security technology to offer consumers a formidable, yet affordable device that will protect home users without compromising network performance.

“Smart homes score high on efficiency and convenience but they also leave families exposed to cyber theft and crime by anyone with a laptop and WiFi connection,” said Steven Joe, executive vice president for channel business for Americas at ZyXEL. “The USG40HE will give home users the peace of mind that their families are protected by the same security protection that ZyXEL is known to offer big businesses.”

The USG40HE comes built with a combination of features that are designed to provide smart homes the protection they need from modern threats without compromising the performance they demand for streaming HD video and online gaming. Some of the top features include:

• 400 Mbps advanced firewall offers leading edge cyber protection without any performance bottle-necks, allowing families to stream HD vides, play online games and video chat securely 
• AV and IDP protect digital assets including videos, data and webcams against violation from hackers. IDP will alert home owners of any potential hack attempts
• Content Filtering can be used to filter Internet access, restricting children from visiting gambling, porn or certain social media websites
• Application intelligence identifies, categorizes and controls over 3,000 social, gaming and P2P apps 

Price and availability

The USG40HE will be available from all authorized ZyXEL resellers at $199 estimated street price. In addition to the Firewall / VPN device, the price also includes one year service subscriptions to Anti-Virus, IDP, Content Filtering and Anti-Spam. The subscription services available online for easy renewal.