Security specialist Yoggie Security Systems today launched a new appliance that protects remote workers from web-based threats and improves the performance of their laptops.

Yoggie Gatekeeper Pro consists of a hardened operating system that connects to the laptop via USB and runs 13 security applications, including antivirus and anti-phishing, intrusion detection and email security functionality, according to Yoggie chief executive Shlomo Touboul.

As an appliance, the product requires no installation and includes capabilities for centralised management for the IT manager, he added.

"Because all your security [software] is off-loaded from the laptop to the appliance you get improved performance for the laptop," explained Touboul. "IT is happy because it can trust the mobile workforce to be as equally secured as other staff, and mobile workers get better performance."

"The product takes a completely different approach to mobile security," wrote Andrew Kellett of analyst Butler Group in a research note. "It supports operational efficiency and avoids much of the degradation to performance that has blighted other end-point solutions."