Cisco network hardware, software and business solutions are used to create Internet solutions that allow individuals, companies and governments to increase productivity, improve customer satisfaction and strengthen competitive advantage. As Cisco firewalls, routers and switches are used by some of the largest businesses and mission critical environments around the world, it is essential that Cisco products meet the highest possible security standards.

 The challenge

Cisco designs and manufactures a wide variety of routers, switches and firewalls. A solution needed to be found to ensure that all Cisco products are configured to conform with the highest possible security standards and in a timely and efficient manner. These configurations need to be checked to ensure that they are free of known vulnerabilities.

 The solution

It was very refreshing to discover Nipper and find out that it supported so many devices that Cisco produces; including Cisco Catalyst Switches (IOS, Cat OS and NMP), Cisco Content Services Switches, Cisco Routers (IOS) and Cisco Security Appliances (ASA, FWSM and PIX). Nipper enables Cisco to test these devices in a fraction of the time it would normally take to perform a manual audit and, for many devices, it has eliminated the need for a manual audit to be undertaken altogether. Cisco hopes Nipper will continue to support other devices produced by Cisco in the future.


Their business benefit

Nipper quickly produces detailed reports, including known vulnerabilities. By using Nipper, manual testing has been altogether eliminated for particular Cisco devices. It provides enhanced support for Cisco FirePOWER next generation firewalls.