HPE boosts AI security across networking & recovery

HPE has introduced new security products and software updates aimed at AI adoption and cyber resilience. The changes span networking, firewall management, recovery software and encryption support across cloud, core and edge systems.

The announcement includes the new HPE Juniper Networking SRX400 Series firewalls for smaller sites, added controls in HPE's hybrid mesh firewall, and security updates across its broader infrastructure portfolio.

The move reflects a growing focus among large technology suppliers on the risks created as companies deploy AI tools beyond central data centres and into branch offices, shops, clinics and campuses. These environments can create oversight gaps when staff use external AI services or when security policies vary between sites.

The SRX400 line is intended for smaller, space-constrained locations. HPE says the firewalls are designed to extend a standard security posture from core systems to the edge, with hardware-rooted protections to defend against tampering and support device integrity.

As AI use spreads across distributed operations, HPE is also adding new oversight features to its hybrid mesh firewall. These include controls to identify AI application usage, block access to selected AI websites, inspect prompts, filter keywords and manage file uploads to external AI tools.

Another part of the update focuses on identity-based protection across physical, virtual and containerised environments. HPE says this is intended to ensure security policies follow users and workloads rather than being tied only to a specific device.

HPE is also adding what it describes as AI-native operations in HPE Security Director. According to the company, this will automate some security workflows and expand chatbot support to include configuration guidance as well as troubleshooting.

"In the AI era, security can no longer be bolted on or managed in isolation. As AI workloads scale across distributed sites, networking and security must be deeply integrated to reduce risk, enhance visibility, and deliver the trust enterprises require," said David Hughes, SVP & GM, SASE and Security for Networking, HPE.

"HPE helps customers standardize policy and consistently enforce it across distributed environments so they can adopt AI with confidence while preserving performance, resiliency, manageability, and control," Hughes added.

Recovery tools

Beyond networking security, HPE has expanded its resilience-related updates to recovery and storage products. In HPE Zerto Software, it is enhancing cyber and disaster recovery for virtualised and cloud workloads with broader platform support, recovery runbooks, support for AI-related workloads including vGPU, and Microsoft Defender integration.

HPE is also enabling direct access to immutable data stored in HPE StoreOnce for malware scanning and cyber forensics. This is intended to help organisations identify clean recovery points after an attack.

Confidential computing

Another part of the release covers confidential computing in HPE Morpheus Software. HPE says this will use trusted execution environments from AMD and Intel, alongside centralised key management through Thales CipherTrust, to keep data encrypted while it is in use.

This approach is becoming increasingly important for companies handling regulated workloads, sovereignty requirements and air-gapped environments, where data handling and operational separation face close scrutiny. By building these features into infrastructure software, HPE is positioning security controls closer to the workloads themselves.

Quantum preparation

HPE also outlined steps on post-quantum cryptography. Junos OS Evolved now includes support ready for post-quantum cryptography, with broader support planned for Junos later. The work aligns with standards from the US National Institute of Standards and Technology and includes upgraded cryptographic libraries, software signing based on FIPS 204 and Quantum Buffer for SSH.

HPE linked that effort to a broader push across its portfolio, including HPE ProLiant Compute Gen12 servers with HPE Integrated Lights-Out 7. Post-quantum measures remain an emerging area for enterprise suppliers, but vendors are beginning to lay the groundwork as customers assess long-term risks to current encryption methods.

Threat intelligence

HPE is also expanding HPE Threat Labs by adding more networking telemetry and expertise. The aim is to provide real-time threat insight and faster action on emerging cyber threats.

The updates arrive as businesses face pressure to keep pace with employee use of AI services while limiting data leakage, misuse and fragmented policy enforcement. Rather than blocking AI tools outright, suppliers are increasingly offering monitoring and control layers that let companies decide which services can be used and under what conditions.

For customers, the significance of HPE's announcement lies in how broadly the changes are spread across the stack. HPE is not only adding firewall features, but also linking AI governance, recovery planning, confidential computing and cryptographic changes into a wider security agenda built around hybrid and distributed environments.

HPE says the SRX400 series firewalls and the new AI governance features for the hybrid mesh firewall will be available in the second quarter of 2026, while HPE StoreOnce OS 5.2 is already available.