The issue of cybersecurity is one of the top concerns for any business. Four in five businesses experienced five or more attacks in 2021, according to a report by the Information Security Forum. Data and operations of your business can be protected only by a proactive defense against network-based attacks. A business's cybersecurity infrastructure should be built around firewalls, which monitor network traffic for threats and block them. Get a better understanding of what a firewall is, how they work, and the advantages of putting the right firewall in place to protect your organization.
Network Firewalls: What Are They Good For?
The firewall separates your internal network equipment, such as desktop computers, mobile devices, printers, and so on, from systems that are not part of your company. Firewalls check all traffic between your network and the outside world or between your network and the Internet and external systems for threats and malicious data. Besides acting as an intermediary, it prevents your computers from connecting directly with those of others.
When your web server or device is connected to an external device without a firewall, it is nothing more than a soft target susceptible to thousands of different attacks, both automated and targeted. These attacks can often expose your device to malware and monitoring programs, such as keyloggers and ransomware. Firewalls can also protect your system from distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks likely to overwhelm your network and prevent access to information on the Internet.
A firewall traditionally monitored data based on a small set of outdated rules and was very limited. Nowadays, firewalls are more powerful, receiving updates constantly, and are capable of detecting sophisticated threats, blocking them, and isolating them from your devices when they are found. These days, firewalls can be software, hardware, or a combination of both, so organizations can put together a custom array of defenses that balance their need for network security and business operations. In some cases, companies create human firewalls to ensure that their entire organization is on the same page with regard to protecting data.
Benefits of Using a Network Firewall
Personal and business networks need firewalls to be protected. The data on your device and the data on the Internet can be accessed by hackers, malware, and unauthorized individuals via the Internet. However, a firewall can provide you with the following benefits:
- Your device or computer will be able to block threats and malignant elements in data packets. Among them are Trojan horses and other threats.
- By doing so, your computer will not be infected by hackers or automated bots. In addition to cryptocurrency mining, hackers and bots are capable of spreading viruses and fake websites and consuming a lot of your processing power.
- The firewall protects the privacy of your data, passwords, and even your IP address from third-party agents and systems.
- Your network and devices are protected from malicious activity and unwanted activity by firewalls, but they are not the only component.
Network Firewalls differ in several ways
There are several different types of firewalls, each of which serves a different purpose depending on how it protects a system. Even companies of the same size may need to block and allow different types of data packets across a firewall since a personal computer does not need the same firewall capabilities as a large corporation.
Firewalls are usually classified into five types:
Individual Firewalls
Individuals can use these firewalls. Each firewall protects a single computer. If your home computer came preloaded with an antivirus program, it might have come with a firewall. Computer users have easy access to these firewalls since they are automatically installed and protect their computers from online attacks, track data coming in and going out, and don't allow their computers to run untrusted or unauthorized software.
Firewalls that filter packets
Data packets entering and leaving your computer are analyzed by these firewalls using a set of rules. A simple example is when you send a message to a server, and when you download it, you're receiving a data packet. They ensure that the data packets do not violate any hard-and-fast rules, for example, coming from a particular IP address, and then they go on to do what they are supposed to do. Due to their simplicity, these programs won't slow down your computer, but they do provide relatively little protection because of their simplicity.
States-of-the-art firewalls
A packet-filtering firewall is much more dynamic than its relatively static counterpart. For filtering out bad data packets, they can handle more complex rules that identify patterns. As the packets pass through your network, they can be monitored at many points along the way. Because their robustness makes them more effective, they also require a lot of processing power.
Firewalls of the future
These firewalls are typically used by enterprises and are modern versions of the traditional firewall. Their features enable them to keep track of data and activities continuously while also addressing threats as they evolve.
Firewalls used for Web applications
Firewalls that protect web applications are the most commonly used by businesses. Older firewalls were unable to keep up with continuous monitoring of traffic and data generated by apps, multiple kinds of software, and much more. Your department can use these tools to block entire websites, prevent third-party software from being downloaded, and prevent malware from being downloaded onto your devices. Your network and websites can be protected by hardware firewalls or by cloud-based firewalls.
Choosing between a hardware and a software firewall
Firewalls can be either hardware-based or software-based. Software-based firewalls are found in anti-virus programs downloaded over the Internet. Larger companies often operate both types, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages. Individuals and small businesses often struggle to maintain hardware firewalls, but they provide a layer of defense that an attacker cannot break. A single device can also provide protection for an entire network of devices, as opposed to software that must be installed for each device. As a software firewall, it is easy to update and maintain, including on smaller systems of devices.
Is a firewall necessary for SMBs?
Business owners can easily see the value of firewalls when it comes to securing their networks and data. But small and medium companies are often in error about what level of protection their company needs. Firewalls are frequently misunderstood by server message blocks (SMBs) for the following reasons:
- Business security can be achieved with consumer-grade hardware and software
- Firewall protection isn't as important for low-risk businesses as it is for high-risk ones
- Firewalls are not necessary with antivirus software
- The firewall I have in place already takes care of everything, so I don't need to worry about it
Firstly, there's a reason why business and consumer categories exist for any type of hardware and software. Comparatively to everyday consumers, businesses usually have more devices to manage, thanks to varying infrastructure. When choosing business-grade devices for your company, not only will they provide you with more flexibility and options, but they will also provide you with better security and protection.
Furthermore, regardless of their size, all businesses need to worry about cybersecurity. The small business sector is one of the most popular targets of cybercriminals, and more than half of those businesses will close their doors within six months of an attack. A firewall often works alongside an antivirus program. Using a network firewall, one can control the traffic that enters and exits your computer or network, while antivirus scans for and removes threats that get on your system. It is important to have both of these components since they address different types of threats. Last but not least, firewalls do not work if they are simply set and forgotten. Many businesses fail to maintain and reconfigure them as needed, which is essential.
Do you have a properly configured firewall?
In addition to setting up firewalls, maintaining and monitoring firewall security is often a challenge for small and medium-sized business owners due to time, money, and resource constraints.
Conclusion
For comprehensive network security, firewalls must be installed on every network that connects to the network, as well as establishing a comprehensive IT security plan, which takes into account policy for the internet and storage of data. Traditionally, network firewalls have protected networks. Today, they can do much more. As well as ensuring uninterrupted network accessibility, they can also help you ensure reliable access to cloud-hosted applications.
You should not rely solely on a firewall to safeguard your home network. It’s important to ensure your devices connected to the Internet, including smartphones, feature the most up-to-date operating system, internet browser, and antivirus software.
