Ideco NGFW Novum

How AI Powers NGFW Solutions in 2026: Russian Vendors and Global Approaches Compared

The article examines four distinct AI use cases in next-generation firewalls: machine learning threat detection, generative analytics for operations, administrator assistants or agents, and protection against unauthorized AI applications. Global vendors such as Palo Alto Networks integrate hybrid deep learning with cloud analysis in Advanced Threat Prevention, while Fortinet adds Shadow AI visibility and MCP/A2A agent monitoring in FortiOS 8.0. Cisco, Check Point, and Juniper deploy generative copilots inside management platforms to explain policies and suggest rule changes. Russian solutions differ in focus: Kaspersky applies ML to file heuristics, UserGate relies on URL categories for AI chatbots, and Ideco combines application-level AI service detection with read-only AI services for IPS log analysis and firewall rule auditing. Ideco NGFW Novum v23 already recognizes 83 AI protocols and plans an LLM Proxy in v24. The piece stresses that effective AI integration must preserve human oversight of configuration changes while accelerating detection of new threats and Shadow AI activity.

Ideco NGFW Novum Earns Highest Customer Rating in Quadrant Technologies Import Substitution Study

Ideco NGFW Novum achieved the top customer score of 6.9 out of 10 in the Matrix of Import Substitution 2026: NGFW research conducted by Quadrant Technologies, surpassing the market average of 6.3 and outperforming seven competing Russian solutions. The study evaluated vendors based on specialized revenue alongside 18 criteria covering product quality and functionality, with ratings provided directly by specialists who deploy and operate the firewalls in production environments. Ideco excelled in 11 parameters above seven points, including administration convenience at 7.9, technical support and partner network at 7.6, Zero Trust segmentation at 7.3, and both integration capabilities and core NGFW functionality at 7.2. Despite strong product scores, Ideco remains in the Development quadrant rather than Leadership due to lower profile revenue volume, positioning the company as a prime candidate for advancement with increased sales and large-scale deployments. Complementary testing by Infosystems Jet laboratory showed Ideco NGFW Novum passing 189 of 242 checks under Methodology 3.0 and becoming the sole participant to complete an eight-hour stress test. The broader Russian NGFW market is shifting away from emergency import substitution toward demands for real-world stability, updates, documentation, support, and usability, with product cost cited as a rejection factor by 37.5 percent of respondents.