Walls and doors are great for protecting your house from unwanted guests. But what about protecting your business’s systems from cybercriminals? There are various tools available, but the tried-and-true solution—the firewall—works spectacularly. It can help protect your computers, networks, and other assets from malicious threats.
Firewalls can play a significant role in any company’s overall cybersecurity strategy. With these security measures overseeing your information technology (IT) infrastructure, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) can feel confident knowing that they are leveraging secure network systems that have a reduced chance of experiencing costly breaches.
What is a firewall?
A firewall is a security tool that helps protect your business from cyber threats and other attacks by blocking unauthorized access to your network and computer resources. It is configured according to your security needs.
Firewalls effectively separate your company’s technology from another network (usually the Internet), monitoring inbound traffic and barring access to data packets that do not satisfy your security criteria (encompassing sources, port numbers, etc.). They can also work alongside other security measures to help reduce data misuse by ensuring that only trustworthy, authorized users are allowed within your systems.
Types of firewalls
To keep things simple, a secure firewall can exist as hardware or software, though the hardware variety is generally the type companies will want to go for. There are five types of firewalls you may encounter in the IT world.
They are:
- Stateful inspection firewalls
- Packet filtering firewalls
- Proxy firewalls
- Circuit-level gateway
- Next-generation firewall (NGFW)
Generally speaking, the majority of firewalls businesses work with today are classified as next-generation.
What should businesses look for in NGFWs?
When procuring your next NGFW, there are various features that you want to keep your eyes peeled for. Some of these features include:
- Identity awareness: NGFWs can decide on whether traffic is permitted access or blocked based on identities.
- External intelligence sources: NGFWs should be able to synchronize with intelligent sources to increase their understanding of current cybersecurity weaknesses. This can help them stay updated on security trends and be innovative in their response.
- Application awareness: The security barriers of yesteryear were unable to distinguish between apps working on the same port. Nowadays, NGFWs are fully capable of working at the application level, differentiating between programs for streamlined information maintenance and rule creation.
- Attachment analysis: In order to dictate future decisions on downloads and attachments, NGFWs must be capable of examining them for malware.
- Intrusion detection systems (IDS): NGFWs must be able to quickly identify incidents of exploitation and system intrusion.
What are the benefits of using firewalls for businesses?
Firewalls are an essential part of any business’s security system, providing protection from a variety of cyber threats. Their benefits include:
- Improved security: Provides a first line of defense against malicious attacks, preventing unauthorized access to sensitive data and IT infrastructure. Firewalls can help make sure that only authorized users are allowed to access secure network systems and resources according to rule sets and other regulations.
- Reduced costs: Secure firewalls can help businesses save money by reducing the likelihood of cyber threats successfully penetrating networks and damaging operations. At the same time, they are often a requirement for compliance models. By investing in them, they can help you avoid fines.
- Enhanced privacy: Utilizes network monitoring to protect private information and data, ensuring high levels of data integrity.
- Improved compliance: A cybersecurity staple, firewalls can help businesses comply with industry regulations and standards, ensuring that your company’s cybersecurity strategy is in line with the law.
Regardless if your business uses software firewalls or a combination of tools, these security measures can provide you with a reliable and cost-effective way to protect your organization from present and emerging cybersecurity threats.
What are the consequences of not investing in firewalls?
By overlooking firewalls, your business’s networks may be more susceptible to:
- System downtime
- Established and newer cyber threats
- Unauthorized access from external entities
By succumbing to the points above, your business’s reputation, finances, and data can be needlessly damaged. But with a firewall safeguarding your networks, you and your team can feel better knowing that your IT resources and information have another layer of protection over them.
How can companies acquire firewalls?
Today’s business owners are constantly on the move, and while sourcing firewalls from their vendors is a fine choice, the more efficient option for procuring these types of security tools lies in managed cybersecurity services.
Managed cybersecurity services are comprehensive digital security arrangements that offer a range of security solutions, from firewalls to threat detection and vulnerability management services. These services are available from managed service providers (MSPs) and support customizable prices, allowing businesses to protect their networks with the appropriate level of protection that will not cause them to overspend on ineffective tools.
When offering fully managed security services, MSPs work alongside their clients throughout the entirety of their partnership, administering ongoing support and advice on the latest security solutions and threats. With an MSP as your cybersecurity partner, you can rest assured that each of your organization’s security measures is optimized and integrated into a cohesive framework for round-the-clock protection.
Firewalls and cybersecurity services from Columbus’s leading MSP
Nowadays, organizations are working within a business landscape that is constantly being attacked by malicious entities. Firewalls can be the foundation of your cybersecurity strategy, providing your company with protection and automated responses against suspicious activity.
The managed cybersecurity services at Skynet MTS can support your company’s operations, technology, and people with security solutions that are cost-effective and compliant. If you need help with your IT security, reach out to the team of cybersecurity experts at Skynet MTS today to enhance your cyber defenses for secure network systems fit for the modern business.