Case Study: University of Abertay strengthens network security and visibility with WatchGuard firewalls

Covering the White Hats: Technology University Shields Network and Ethical Hacking Lab with WatchGuard Firewalls

Abertay University, a technology-focused institution in Dundee, needed a high-performance security solution to protect a fast-changing student network, support an ethical hacking lab, and keep pace with an 80-gigabyte backbone upgrade. The university turned to WatchGuard firewalls, including two WatchGuard XTM 2520s and a WatchGuard XTM 330, to handle advanced threats without slowing traffic.

WatchGuard implemented a layered security platform that added IPS/IDS, application filtering, malware detection, gateway antivirus, web filtering, and stronger visibility through Dimension logging. The result was a more secure and manageable network that could block tools like BitTorrent, Tor, and proxy avoidance software, while also supporting diverse student devices and games with minimal impact on speed.

University of Abertay

Matt Pollard

Senior Network Infrastructure Analyst