WatchGuard announced version 12.2 of its Fireware operating system for its Firebox Unified Security Platform appliances. Key to the update is IntelligentAV, a new antivirus scan service that uses an artificial intelligence (AI) engine to predict, detect and block evolving zero day malware.

IntelligentAV joins Threat Detection and Response (TDR), Gateway AntiVirus, and APT Blocker as an additional layer of industry-leading malware defense on the Firebox platform.

“Data from our quarterly Internet Security Report shows that nearly half of all malware targeting our customers is zero day. Traditional signature-based antivirus, while still an important part of one’s overall security posture, no longer provides adequate protection against modern malware, which is often obfuscated to evade detection,” said Brendan Patterson, vice president of product management at WatchGuard Technologies.