Cisco ASA 5500 Series adaptive security appliances are purpose-built solutions that combine best-of-breed security and VPN services with the innovative Cisco Adaptive Identification and Mitigation (AIM) architecture. Designed as a core component of the Cisco Self-Defending Network, the Cisco ASA 5500 Series provides proactive threat defense that stops attacks before they spread through the network, controls network activity and application traffic, and delivers flexible VPN connectivity.