Stonesoft Corporation

Stonesoft Corporation was a Finnish network-security company headquartered in Helsinki. Founded in 1990, it initially operated as a systems integrator serving the Nordic region before developing proprietary technologies for resilient network security. Its early product development focused on high availability and firewall clustering. In 1994, the company introduced StoneBeat, a technology that enabled two firewalls to operate as an active-passive high-availability pair. In 1999, Stonesoft expanded this capability with StoneBeat FullCluster, a patented load-balancing clustering technology that became one of the early technologies certified under Check Point's OPSEC program. The company moved more directly into the enterprise firewall and virtual private network market in the early 2000s. Its StoneGate Firewall/VPN product was launched on March 19, 2001, positioning Stonesoft as a direct competitor to Check Point in firewall and VPN security. In January 2003, the company introduced what was described as the first virtual firewall/VPN for IBM mainframes. Stonesoft's broader portfolio subsequently included firewall and VPN appliances, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and SSL VPN products. These offerings were delivered in hardware, software, and VMware-certified virtual-appliance forms, with centralized administration through Stonesoft Management Center. Stonesoft also became associated with research into Advanced Evasion Techniques, or AETs. In 2010, it reported through Finland's national computer emergency response organization, CERT-FI, that attackers could use sophisticated evasion methods to bypass conventional network-security defenses. The claims initially met skepticism from parts of the security community, but additional techniques disclosed in 2011 were later examined and verified by independent laboratories and researchers. Stonesoft described AETs as adaptable techniques capable of operating across layers of the TCP/IP stack and across multiple protocols or protocol combinations. In July 2012, it released a free testing tool intended to help organizations assess whether their network defenses could detect such activity. The company changed its product branding in 2012, dropping the StoneGate name and using Stonesoft for both the company and its principal security product family. This branding transition came shortly before the end of the company's independent existence. In July 2013, McAfee, then part of Intel Security, completed a tender offer for Stonesoft's products and technologies. Stonesoft became part of McAfee's Network Security Business Unit, and its firewall products were renamed McAfee Next Generation Firewall. In January 2016, McAfee sold the Stonesoft business to Forcepoint. As a result, Stonesoft no longer operates as an independent public company or standalone brand, although technologies originating with the company continued through successor network-security portfolios.

Stonesoft was established in 1990 in Finland and began as a systems integrator serving the Nordic countries. Rather than entering the security market immediately as a conventional firewall vendor, it first developed expertise in network resilience and systems integration. In 1994, the company introduced StoneBeat, which allowed two firewalls to operate in an active-passive high-availability configuration. This addressed the operational requirement that security gateways remain available when a primary device failed. In 1999, Stonesoft extended StoneBeat with StoneBeat FullCluster, a patented technology for load-balancing and clustering. The technology was among the early products certified through Check Point's OPSEC program, providing interoperability and validation within a broader security-product ecosystem. These developments established the technical foundation for Stonesoft's later enterprise-security offerings. The company broadened its commercial focus in 2001 by entering the firewall and VPN market more directly. StoneGate Firewall/VPN launched on March 19, 2001, and positioned Stonesoft against established vendors such as Check Point. In January 2003, Stonesoft introduced a virtual firewall/VPN for IBM mainframes. Its product portfolio later included firewall and VPN devices, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and SSL VPN systems. The products were offered as hardware appliances, software deployments, and VMware-certified virtual appliances. Stonesoft Management Center provided centralized administration for the company's components and, according to the company's product description, could also manage third-party devices. A significant part of Stonesoft's later identity came from its research into Advanced Evasion Techniques. In 2010, the company reported that security controls could be bypassed by specially constructed evasion methods that were difficult for conventional detection systems to recognize. Stonesoft stated that such techniques could function across different layers of the TCP/IP stack and across combinations of protocols. The initial disclosure was met with skepticism, but further techniques released in 2011 were later verified by independent researchers and laboratories. In July 2012, Stonesoft made a testing tool available without charge so organizations could evaluate the resistance of their network defenses. The company also simplified its product branding in 2012. The StoneGate name was replaced by Stonesoft, so that the corporate name and the principal product name were aligned. This change preceded a major ownership transition. In July 2013, McAfee, which was then an Intel subsidiary within Intel Security, completed a tender offer for all Stonesoft products and technologies. Stonesoft ceased to operate as an independent public company and became part of McAfee's Network Security Business Unit. The firewall line was renamed McAfee Next Generation Firewall. McAfee later sold the Stonesoft business to Forcepoint in January 2016. The transaction marked another stage in the migration of Stonesoft-originated network-security technology into a successor vendor's portfolio. Stonesoft is therefore best understood historically as a defunct Finnish cybersecurity company whose principal legacy lies in high-availability firewall technology, enterprise firewall and VPN products, centralized security management, virtual network-security deployments, and its public work on Advanced Evasion Techniques. Stonesoft also faced legal and governance scrutiny. In 2008, the Helsinki Court of Appeal ruled in a case involving the company's management that two board members and a former chief executive had failed through gross negligence to provide a profit warning in a timely manner. The dispute concerned a mismatch between the positive profitability picture presented in interim reports for 2000 and the company's actual financial position. The Helsinki District Court had previously dismissed the claims in 2006. The available reference material does not identify the executives by name or provide a financial amount.

1. 2016Business sold to Forcepoint

   McAfee sold the Stonesoft business to Forcepoint.

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2. 2013Acquired by McAfee

   McAfee completed its tender offer for Stonesoft products and technologies, ending Stonesoft's independent public-company status.

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3. 2012StoneGate branding replaced

   The company began using Stonesoft as the product name in place of StoneGate.

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4. 2010Advanced Evasion Techniques disclosed

   Stonesoft publicized research into network-evasion techniques that could bypass conventional security defenses.

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5. 2008Helsinki Court of Appeal decision

   The appellate court issued a decision concerning an allegedly delayed profit warning and the conduct of members of Stonesoft's management.

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6. 2003Virtual firewall/VPN for IBM mainframes introduced

   The company introduced a virtual firewall/VPN product for IBM mainframes.

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7. 2001StoneGate Firewall/VPN launched

   Stonesoft entered the firewall and VPN market with StoneGate Firewall/VPN.

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8. 1999StoneBeat FullCluster launched

   Stonesoft extended StoneBeat with patented load-balancing clustering technology, later associated with Check Point's OPSEC certification program.

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9. 1994StoneBeat introduced

   The company introduced StoneBeat for active-passive high availability between firewalls.

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10. 1990Company founded

    Stonesoft was founded in Finland and began as a Nordic systems integrator.

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Enterprise network-security provider focused on resilient firewall and VPN infrastructure, centralized management, virtualized security appliances, intrusion prevention, and research into techniques capable of evading conventional network defenses.

• StoneBeatFirewall high availability1994

  StoneBeat was Stonesoft's early high-availability technology for firewalls. Introduced in 1994, it enabled two firewalls to operate as an active-passive pair, allowing a secondary device to take over if the primary device failed. The product reflected Stonesoft's original emphasis on resilient network infrastructure and formed the basis for later clustering capabilities.

• StoneBeat FullClusterFirewall clustering and load balancing1999

  StoneBeat FullCluster extended the company's high-availability work with patented load-balancing clustering technology. It was introduced in 1999 and was among the early technologies certified in Check Point's OPSEC program. Its purpose was to distribute security-processing workloads and improve continuity across clustered firewall deployments.

• StoneGate Firewall/VPNFirewall and virtual private network2001

  StoneGate Firewall/VPN was Stonesoft's principal enterprise firewall and VPN platform, launched in 2001. It represented the company's move from systems integration and clustering technology into direct competition in the firewall and VPN market. The platform was later included in the wider Stonesoft product portfolio and ultimately rebranded under McAfee after the acquisition.

• Stonesoft FirewallNext-generation firewall

  Stonesoft's firewall family was available in appliance, software, and VMware-certified virtual-appliance forms. It was designed for enterprise network protection and could be administered through Stonesoft Management Center. Following McAfee's acquisition of the company, the firewall products were renamed McAfee Next Generation Firewall.

• Stonesoft Management CenterSecurity management software

  Stonesoft Management Center provided centralized administration for Stonesoft security components, including firewall, VPN, and intrusion-prevention products. The management system was also described as capable of managing third-party devices, making it a control and policy-management layer rather than merely a local appliance interface.

• Advanced Evasion Techniques testing toolNetwork-security testing tool2012

  Stonesoft released a free testing tool in July 2012 to help organizations assess whether their network-security defenses could identify Advanced Evasion Techniques. The tool supported the company's public research and awareness effort concerning evasions that could cross protocol boundaries or operate at different TCP/IP layers.

• 2012Advanced Evasion Techniques testing initiative

  Global

  The company released a free tool that allowed organizations to test their defenses against the evasion methods described in Stonesoft's research.

  Outcome. The initiative gave organizations a practical way to evaluate network controls and extended Stonesoft's research-led security positioning.

  Source
• 2010Advanced Evasion Techniques disclosure program

  Global

  Stonesoft used public research disclosures, including communication through CERT-FI, to raise awareness of Advanced Evasion Techniques and their potential to circumvent conventional network-security detection.

  Outcome. The claims initially faced skepticism, but later disclosures were verified by independent laboratories and researchers.

  Source

• 2016Stonesoft business transferred to ForcepointM&A

  The Stonesoft business had been integrated into McAfee after the 2013 acquisition.

  What changed. McAfee sold the Stonesoft business to Forcepoint.

  Aftermath. Stonesoft-originated network-security technology continued under a successor security vendor rather than as an independent Stonesoft company.

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• 2013McAfee acquires Stonesoft products and technologiesM&A

  Stonesoft was an independent public company developing and selling network-security products with global operations.

  What changed. McAfee, then an Intel subsidiary within Intel Security, completed a tender offer for all Stonesoft products and technologies and integrated the business into its Network Security Business Unit.

  Aftermath. Stonesoft ceased to operate independently, and its firewall products were renamed McAfee Next Generation Firewall.

  Source
• 2012Unify product branding under StonesoftStrategy

  The company had previously marketed its firewall and VPN platform under the StoneGate name while using Stonesoft as its corporate identity.

  What changed. Stonesoft replaced the StoneGate product name and used Stonesoft for both the company and product branding.

  Aftermath. The unified branding preceded the company's acquisition by McAfee in 2013.

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• 2008Delayed profit-warning caseControversy

  The Helsinki Court of Appeal found that two board members and a former chief executive had failed through gross negligence to issue a profit warning in a timely manner. The case related to differences between profitability expectations presented in 2000 interim reports and the company's actual condition. The Helsinki District Court had dismissed the claims in 2006.

  Source

• 2016McAfee sells the Stonesoft business to Forcepoint

  McAfee sold the Stonesoft business to Forcepoint, transferring the successor network-security assets after the company's earlier integration into McAfee.

  M&A
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• 2013McAfee completes acquisition of Stonesoft products and technologies

  McAfee, then an Intel subsidiary and part of Intel Security, completed a tender offer for Stonesoft's products and technologies. The business became part of McAfee's Network Security Business Unit.

  M&A
  Source
• 2013Stonesoft firewalls are renamed McAfee Next Generation Firewall

  Following the acquisition, Stonesoft firewall products were rebranded as McAfee Next Generation Firewall.

  Product generationM&A
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• 2012Stonesoft releases a free Advanced Evasion Techniques testing tool

  Stonesoft released a free tool that organizations could use to test whether their network-security controls detected Advanced Evasion Techniques.

  Product launch
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• 2012Stonesoft adopts a unified product name

  The company replaced the StoneGate product name with Stonesoft, using the corporate name for both the company and its security-product branding.

  Product generation
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• 2011Stonesoft publishes additional Advanced Evasion Techniques research

  The company disclosed further examples of Advanced Evasion Techniques. Independent laboratories and researchers subsequently verified the existence and security significance of the techniques.

  Other
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• 2010Stonesoft discloses Advanced Evasion Techniques

  Stonesoft publicized Advanced Evasion Techniques, warning that adaptable network-evasion methods could bypass conventional security detection. The disclosures were made through Finland's CERT-FI channel and initially attracted skepticism.

  Other
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• 2003Stonesoft introduces a virtual firewall/VPN for IBM mainframes

  The company introduced a virtual firewall/VPN product for IBM mainframes, extending its security architecture into a virtualized mainframe environment.

  Product launch
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• 2001Stonesoft introduces StoneGate Firewall/VPN

  Stonesoft launched StoneGate Firewall/VPN as a major expansion from systems integration and clustering technology into the enterprise firewall and VPN market.

  Product launch
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1. Stonesoft Corporation