HPE has unveiled a comprehensive suite of security products and software updates tailored for organizations embracing AI, covering areas such as network security, hybrid cloud defense, and recovery solutions.
This announcement features the new HPE Juniper Networking SRX400 Series firewall range, enhanced controls for HPE’s hybrid mesh firewall, updates to HPE Zerto Software and StoreOnce, advancements in confidential computing via HPE Morpheus Software, and initiatives in post-quantum cryptography across various offerings.
These innovations respond to the rising challenges companies face as they implement AI tools beyond centralized data centers, extending into branch offices, campuses, clinics, and retail environments. This expansion has multiplied the locations where employees might utilize unmanaged AI services, which can lead to inconsistencies in policy application and expose data to vulnerabilities due to inadequate edge controls.
The SRX400 Series is engineered for smaller, space-limited sites, enabling the extension of security measures from core networks to remote locations. This hardware incorporates safeguards against tampering and helps establish device integrity while creating a more uniform security posture across distributed infrastructures.
By focusing on edge security, HPE addresses a critical industry concern that branch and remote sites may become exposed as AI adoption increases. The goal is to more closely align network firewalls at these locations with central policies, thereby closing the gaps between the headquarters infrastructure and operational sites.
AI Governance Controls
A significant aspect of this launch emphasizes governance for AI applications. HPE reports that over half of organizations are already utilizing AI internally, underscoring the need to provide employees with access to innovative tools without compromising the sharing of sensitive information.
The updated hybrid mesh firewall delivers enhanced visibility and access management for AI websites and applications, enabling security teams to monitor usage and block unauthorized or high-risk services. This update also introduces prompt-level inspections to filter keywords and manage file uploads to external AI tools, alongside centralized identity-based protection that allows policies to follow users and workloads across physical, virtual, and containerized settings.
HPE’s Security Director management platform now boasts more automated security workflows and expanded chatbot assistance for configuration guidance and operational support. These features are part of HPE’s AI-native approach to security operations.
“In Australia and New Zealand, organizations are quickly adopting AI, but the complexity and sophistication of modern cyber threats make security and resilience essential,” stated Andrew Fox, Country Manager for HPE Networking in Australia and New Zealand.
“At HPE, we are empowering businesses to embed strong security and governance across every layer of their infrastructure, from edge to cloud, enabling them to scale AI with assurance. Following our acquisition of Juniper, we’ve leveraged our integrated capabilities to help organizations manage risks while driving innovation, thus unlocking AI’s full potential in a secure and trustworthy manner,” Fox explained.
Enhancing Resilience and Recovery
In addition to preventive measures, HPE is enhancing resilience and recovery options for customers combating ransomware, malware, and service interruptions. Improvements to HPE Zerto Software entail broader support for virtualized and cloud environments, new recovery runbooks, and compatibility with AI workloads such as vGPU environments.
Integration with Microsoft Defender and immediate access to immutable HPE StoreOnce data for malware scanning and cyber forensics are designed to expedite the restoration of systems to verified clean states. These enhancements position recovery planning as a key element in HPE’s broader security strategy, alongside perimeter and application controls.
Updates also extend to confidential computing in HPE Morpheus Software, which utilizes trusted execution environments from AMD and Intel, coupled with centralized key management from Thales CipherTrust, to keep data encrypted during use. This feature caters to organizations managing sensitive workloads and those facing sovereignty or regulatory obligations, including in hybrid and air-gapped environments.
Preparing for Quantum Computing Threats
Looking ahead, HPE is addressing the long-term encryption challenges posed by quantum computing. The latest version of Junos OS Evolved now includes functionalities prepared for post-quantum cryptography, with more extensive support planned for future updates.
HPE claims this initiative aligns with National Institute of Standards and Technology standards and includes upgraded cryptographic libraries, FIPS 204-compliant software signing, and Quantum Buffer for SSH. These efforts build on HPE’s ongoing commitment to post-quantum readiness across its offerings, including HPE ProLiant Compute Gen12 servers equipped with HPE Integrated Lights-Out 7.
The launch will also see an expansion of the HPE Threat Labs, enhancing the company’s threat intelligence capabilities. HPE is integrating networking telemetry and expertise to improve real-time threat detection, aiding customers in rapidly identifying emerging risks throughout distributed environments.
David Hughes, SVP & GM of SASE and Security for Networking at HPE, highlighted that organizations need tighter integration between networking and security as AI deployments proliferate. “In the AI era, security shouldn’t be an afterthought or managed independently. As AI workloads expand across distributed sites, networking and security must be seamlessly integrated to mitigate risks, enhance visibility, and provide the trust enterprises demand,” Hughes stated.
“HPE aids customers in standardizing policies and consistently enforcing them across distributed environments, enabling them to adopt AI confidently while maintaining performance, resilience, manageability, and control,” he added.
HPE has announced that the SRX400 series firewalls and the new AI governance features for the hybrid mesh firewall are expected to roll out in Q2 2026, while StoreOnce OS 5.2 is currently available.
