Here Is Why Your CompanyNeeds A Firewall

Cybersecurity has become an imperative part of any organization’s efforts to secure its assets and data. Cyber Threats are continually evolving, so businesses of all sizes are at risk of being targeted by Cyber Criminals. Across all Cyber Security frameworks, a firewall is the key defense layer, since it constitutes a barrier between your organization’s internal network(s) and possibly unsafe external traffic.

What is a Firewall?

A firewall is a security device that follows sets of rules and controls all incoming and outgoing network traffic. It can be hardware; it can be software, or it can be a combination of both. Firewalls let in and out only authorized and safe data; they keep the criminals away while permitting legitimate communication. In short, the firewall is a gatekeeper that monitors your data packets to stick with the security policy of an organization between the internet and an internal network.

Types of Firewalls

1. Packet filter: When requests are made, data packets are inspected by packet-filtering firewalls — monitoring such information as whether the request is from a valid IP address, or what protocol it’s using (like web services, which must use port 80), and what port number. Packet-filtering firewalls are useful formation-basic filtering, but you can never assume you are secure with just a packet-filtering firewall. They don’t “understand” how payloads work, so there is always room for creative firewall hole punching and new, sophisticated attacks.
2. Stateful Inspection Firewalls: These firewalls take a second approach and check each network packet along with active connection. For example, stateful firewalls are aware of whether a packet comes from an established connection (or if it starts one). This is one more level of security.
3. NGFW (next-generation firewalls) are third-generation firewalls that include additional features beyond the core firewall capabilities of port/protocol inspection and blocking. These firewalls are needed for modern business. They are important because they can identify and halt sophisticated threats like malware and control encrypted traffic.

How Do Firewalls Work?

Your company has a firewall that, by default, does not allow any traffic unless the security rules of your company specifically allow it.

The functioning of a firewall

1. Incoming Traffic: Data coming in from the internet into your network gets checked by the firewall. If the traffic complies with the set organization security policies, it goes through. If not, you simply can’t access it.
2. Firewalls also monitor outgoing traffic. It also looks to thwart internal threats like rogue employees trying to exfiltrate sensitive data their company owns.

Why firewalls are necessary

1. Protection against external threats — Cybersecurity threats come in many shapes and sizes. These could be attacks like Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) or malware distribution. but can also include bad actors trying to access your network and leverage its weaknesses. A firewall will filter out malicious incoming traffic that tries to access your systems. Without it, your information and critical systems would be vulnerable to all sorts of cyberattacks. Network Traffic Monitoring and Control: A firewall lets your company monitor network activity more effectively, helping IT administrators to spot irregular traffic and potential intrusions that can imply a Cyber Attack or other illegitimate action on the network. For example, firewalls can paint a clear picture of outbound traffic that appears anomalous (e.g., an employee’s computer trying to contact a known bad actor). This can help to identify malware and potential data breaches so protective action can be taken before they can become massive issues.
2. Protecting Confidential Information: Every company has sensitive data, such as customer and privileged business information. Data breaches can lead to serious financial implications, reputational damages, and legal consequences. Database firewalls protect this valuable data by allowing only designated personnel to access sensitive data, and ensuring that no hooligan is tapping on the DSL modem trying to get in. Using a firewall helps the organization comply with data protection laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
3. Prevention from Internal Threats: The threat is not always outside of your company. Deliberate or not, internal threats are as risky as external ones. Unknowingly or intentionally, employees may breach the security of your company by either accessing unauthorized data or sending confidential information outside the company. With firewalls, you can control and monitor the behavior of your employees, while overseeing, disabling, or enabling certain internal network traffic. For example, firewalls can block access to websites or prevent files from being uploaded to unlinked services. Firewalls build a security perimeter that reduces the chances of insider attacks by controlling the data that both enters and leaves.
4. Improving Remote Work Security: Aith the increased number of businesses adopting remote work practices, access to corporate resources is now a core area of concern. Remote workers may have to connect to an application or access files, and the company’s internal network. If proper security mechanisms are not in place, remote access vulnerabilities could enable Cyber Criminals to exploit this weaknesses. network and the remote user to avoid interception by a malicious third party. Firewalls can also ensure that remote connections comply with the company’s security policy and that they are coming from trusted sources.
5. Stop Ransomware and Malware Attacks: Ransomware and malware attacks rank as some of the worst threats organizations encounter. Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts your data and asks for money to unlock it. Websites, emails, and downloads are common ways malware can get into your network. One of the more advanced types of malware protection found in modern firewalls (particularly next-generation firewalls) is a threat detection system that can identify and block threats before they reach your network. Industry Regulation Compliance: To ensure that consumer data is adequately protected, companies in industries such as healthcare finance and retail must follow laws such as GDPR, HIPAA, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), and more. Firewalling is a must to service these rules. They ensure the specified protections are present to avoid unauthorized access and hacking. Failure to comply with regulations can lead to substantial fines, legal consequences, and a loss of client confidence.
6. Custom Security Policies: Organizations may create detailed rules for the traffic they will allow based on the size and configuration of their network, what users should be allowed into which parts of your network, and how they are to transmit data. For example, to help manage individuals with access to particularly sensitive data, a company might provide authorization only for authorized personnel to access such data, and other staff are permitted only when the lesser importance systems are in use. These standards ensure that any security measures taken fit with the operational needs of your company. Trained professionals from eMazzanti can assist you with firewalls and other IT-related concerns.