If you run a business, one thing is certain. You’re going to need a firewall. Nowadays, cybercriminals are becoming more advanced and pose a threat to businesses in all industries and areas of specialism. If you want to keep your systems and data secure, and prevent other issues posed by hackers, you’re going to need an effective firewall to protect yourself. Here’s more information on the subject for you.
What Is a Firewall?
Let’s start out by establishing what a firewall actually is. Put simply, a firewall is a network security device that monitors incoming and outgoing network traffic. It permits or blocks data packets based on a set of predefined security rules.
By achieving this, it will establish a barrier between your internal network and incoming traffic from external sources (such as the internet), allowing your systems to effectively block malicious traffic, including viruses and hackers. So, how does it work? Well, firewalls carefully analyze incoming traffic based on pre-established rules.
They will then filter traffic coming from unsecured or suspicious sources to prevent attacks. Firewalls guard traffic from ports, which are a computer’s entry points. This is the location where information is exchanged with external devices. Firewalls can also filter who gains entry to what elements of your system. For example, authorised users may be able to access more aspects of your system than guest users.
Why Your Business Needs a Firewall
Firewalls come hand in hand with a whole host of benefits for businesses. Here are just a few to take into consideration.
Firewalls prevent hacking
Firewalls are difficult to overcome and, generally, when faced with them, hackers will simply leave your business and attempt to target a different, more vulnerable and less prepared company instead. It’s often easier to move on than to try to challenge a firewall.
They protect your network and data from malicious code
All computer networks run on code and a firewall can help to protect this. A good firewall will prevent malicious code from entering and corrupting your systems.
You gain control over internet content being accessed from your devices
This can ensure that employees are using their devices properly and for the right purposes.
Choosing the Right Firewall
There are various types of firewalls out there, so it’s important that you do your research, or take tailored, professional advice from a managed IT company, to settle on the right option for your needs. You may not be aware of this, but firewalls can take the form of either software or hardware.
It’s generally thought that it’s best to have both. A software firewall is a program that will be installed on your devices and regulate traffic through port numbers and applications. A physical firewall, on the other hand, is a piece of equipment that is installed between your network and gateway.
The most common type of firewall are packet-filtering firewalls. They analize packets and prohibit them from passing through if they don’t match the security rules you have put in place. Packet-filtering firewalls themselves are divided into two categories: stateful and stateless.
Stateless firewalls examine packets independently, so are easier for jackets to overcome. Stateful firewalls, on the other hand, are more specific and remember information about previously passed packets, making them more of a challenge for hackers and cybercriminals.
As you can see, firewalls really are an essential element for any business nowadays. So, make sure you invest in the right one to suit your needs and preferences!