Introduction
Cybercrimes have become one of the biggest problems in today’s business world. If you are not aware of the fact how cyberattacks affected businesses around the world, here is some statistical data for your reference:
- According to Accenture, cybercrimes have seen a 67% increase in the last decade.
- Hiscox reports that more than 73% of companies don’t have a proper security system.
There are several reasons that contribute to cybercrimes, including equipment damage, business disruption, information loss, and more. Firewalls can help to mitigate these risks of cybercrimes. In this article, you will learn how firewalls work to guard against online attacks. If you are looking for a cybersecurity solution, visit https://www.sptel.com/firewall-cyber-security/.
What is Firewall Security?
Firewall security is a system that prevents unauthorized access to data. The firewall acts as a protective layer that only gives access to authorized users. It is a two-way security system that controls both incoming and outgoing traffic through a network.
The firewall only allows data that meet the predefined security policies. So, it is a shield against unauthorized access by hackers and protects the customer and business data. Additionally, it also controls any sensitive information leaving your system. In this way, a firewall can be helpful for individuals, small businesses, and large corporations. Let’s explore different types of firewalls and their importance.
Different Types of Firewalls
There are different types of firewalls- proxy server, packet filtering, stateful inspection, next-generation firewalls, unified threat management. Let’s discuss each of these firewall types in brief.
- Proxy Server: One of the standard terms you might have heard before is a proxy server. It’s a type of firewall that acts as a gateway between your computer and the internet. It protects your computer by hiding or changing your IP address.
- Packet Filtering: In this type of firewall, the data can be accessed after the packet data is filtered through the firewall. Data that meets the filter criteria can pass through the firewall.
- Stateful Inspection: It is an advanced form of inspection of data which is also termed dynamic packet filtering. Instead of examining the content of a packet, it only gives access to content from a specific known connection.
- Unified Threat Management: It combines various protection protocols such as content filter, malware, intrusion detection with firewall into a single package.
- Next-Generation Firewalls: It is the most advanced form of firewall that provides all the above security features.
Now that you know about different types of firewalls let’s know the importance of firewalls.
Why Firewall Matters?
There are several potential benefits of using firewalls in your business. One of the potential benefits is it can protect your computer and systems from unauthorized access by hackers.
Also, it can help your business from sending sensitive information to unauthorized users. For example, your employees may not be following the best security practices and may give access to unauthorized users over the network. Having a firewall can prevent this problem because it acts as a two-way protection layer.
Lastly, it can also protect your system from any virus and malware attacks such as Trojan horses and Keyloggers. So, firewalls can work great in conjunction with your antivirus system.
How to Choose the Right Firewall?
If you are looking for a firewall security system, you need to first identify your specific security concerns and define your security plan. If you think that your network needs both incoming and outgoing security systems, choose a two-way firewall protection system.
There are both on-premise and cloud firewall security solutions. If you don’t have an in-house IT expert, you should opt for a cloud-based firewall system. If you are dealing with sensitive data such as financial or healthcare data, you should opt for next-generation firewalls.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, the above information has helped you to know about different firewall systems and how they work. Additionally, you have learned how to choose the right firewall security for your business. Lastly, please don’t hesitate to share which firewall system is suitable for your business.