Mirage Networks

About Mirage Networks

Founded in 2003, Mirage Networks established itself as a provider of network security solutions for enterprises. The company specialized in Network Access Control (NAC) technology, which manages and controls access to network resources, ensuring only authorized and compliant devices can connect. Its product line included firewalls, Unified Threat Management (UTM), Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems (IDS/PS), anti-virus software, and VPNs.

Mirage Networks' core offering was its patented, full-cycle NAC technology. This system was designed to identify, isolate, and remediate network threats without requiring agent software on the endpoints. A key feature was its behavioral-based threat detection, which analyzed traffic patterns to identify anomalies indicative of worms or viruses, a method designed to overcome the limitations of signature-based detection. The technology performed endpoint security checks before and after granting network access, controlling where devices could go and what they could do. This approach allowed it to detect and isolate unauthorized devices or policy violations, including zero-day attacks, and provided self-remediation capabilities. The company offered its solutions through appliances like the MAX-500, which integrated all components of the NAC solution into a single device for rapid deployment.

The company catered to a broad market, securing over 600 customers across 40 countries, including large educational institutions like Texas State University-San Marcos and the University of Birmingham. Mirage Networks raised a total of $32.5 million in funding over three rounds, with its Series C in November 2005 bringing in $12 million. Key investors included Trinity Ventures, Adams Capital Management, and CenterPoint Ventures. In February 2009, Mirage Networks was acquired by Trustwave, a Chicago-based provider of data security and compliance management solutions. The acquisition integrated Mirage's NAC technology into Trustwave's suite of managed security services. Greg Stock, the former president and CEO of Mirage Networks, transitioned to become Trustwave's general manager of security services following the acquisition.