As our businesses rely more and more on connected devices, the protection of our network resources becomes all the more important. One of the simplest, most cost-effective methods of protecting your company’s internal network from outside threats is through the use of a firewall, or network firewall. What are firewalls? How do they work? What are some common types of firewalls? Keep reading to find out!
Why Do I Need A Firewall?
Firewalls are a network security mechanism, designed to protect computers from outside threats such as viruses, malware, spyware, and other malicious software. A firewall also prevents unauthorized access to your company’s internal network resources. By monitoring all incoming and outgoing traffic on your computer and your entire network infrastructure, firewalls help keep malicious code from wreaking havoc on your computer systems.
What is Firewall?
The firewall is a security device that defends your system from outside access, whereas antivirus software can be used to protect your files from viruses. A firewall keeps out hackers by blocking them from gaining access to your computer.
A firewall is a type of networking device which monitors data going in and out of the network, then either approves or blocks the information based on security guidelines. Its job is to protect your internal network by blocking hackers and internet intruders, for example.
A Firewall Protects Your Company From Hackers
Hackers most often attack business systems and data through social engineering techniques, which rely on traps for unsuspecting employees. They employ various techniques to gain privileged information and sensitive data.
In the short term, some firewall changes and additional training can help a great deal, but the most long-term solution is higher-quality cybersecurity training.
One benefit of firewalls is that they notify you of malicious incoming traffic, while also blocking most attack methods. You can purchase a standalone firewall or one that includes antivirus protection in the hardware/software package. However, it is suggested that you go with a standalone firewall that includes antivirus protection.
A Firewall Lets You Block Access to Unapproved Websites
The best firewalls block unauthorized users from accessing your network, but they can also block specific websites. This setting will keep your employees from visiting websites they’re not supposed to or that have the potential to be hacked while they’re working on your network.
For example, you might prohibit your employees from visiting pornographic sites or gambling websites. You can also block access to online shopping sites or any site that may offer illegal downloads.
This allows you to monitor what your employees are seeing when they use their computers at work and also reduces the risk of infection from outside sources on your network.
A Firewall Can Protect Your Business from Malicious Code
Firewalls are security measures used to protect computers from malware. They inspect incoming and outgoing data and record anything out of the ordinary. Configured to let you know when there is an attack or when someone tries to get into your computer system without authorization, these alerts can help to safeguard your company’s cybersecurity.
Repeated alerts can suggest that your organization is on the radar of a threat actor and can serve as an early warning sign. If this is the case, you need to prepare a solid cyber incident response plan when you come under attack.
A Firewall Lets You Limit Bandwidth Usage for Certain Programs
Firewalls are useful for managing data bandwidth in a network. One might set up a firewall so that different types of data consume differing amounts of bandwidth. Limiting the bandwidth available to streaming video and other media files may do the trick.
You could configure a firewall so that only specific types of traffic have access to the Internet. For example, you might want to restrict people’s access to certain websites but still allow them to connect to your office printer.
A firewall can also protect and encrypt the data
A firewall can also protect and encrypt the data exchanged between your business computers and your remote office. It can also connect your organization’s local area network (LAN) to a wide area network (WAN).