With the increasing use of information technology and internet networks in almost every sector, the concern for cybersecurity has risen at an equal pace. Firewall is one such cybersecurity measure. A firewall in a computer network is a security product that monitors, filters and prevents any unauthorised access into or out of the computer network. This article aims to provide information about firewalls and their types and why they are important for cybersecurity.

What is a Firewall?

A firewall can be typically explained as a security device (hardware) or software that protects your computer network from any malicious software or unauthorised access. It works like a first line of defense by being a barrier between the internal computer network of an enterprise and outside networks that are untrusted.

Some key functions of firewalls are:

Monitoring Traffic: The firewall monitors incoming and outgoing traffic throughout the computer network and blocks any suspicious or unauthorised access. 

Controlling Access to Network: Firewalls can be customised to control who can access the computer network. Only authorised users can enter the network after the firewall permits. Firewalls further also impose policies that control access to certain applications, websites or services which may contain malicious software.

Preventing Threats: Firewalls prevent threats by blocking any malicious software, virus, ransomware, etc, from accessing the computer systems. Some advanced firewall software can also detect these threats in real-time by observing and analysing the traffic patterns.

Reporting: Firewalls also record traffic patterns, any cases of attempted breach, malicious software or activity detected and any blocked activities. These reports can be further analysed and security measures can be taken accordingly. 

What are the Different Types of Firewalls?

Firewalls can be both hardware and software. Hardware firewalls can be set up between the gateway and the computer network of your enterprise. Software firewalls are applications installed on the computers in the network. Some cloud solutions also provide cloud firewalls. 

Firewalls can be categorised on multiple parameters such as methods used to filter traffic, the structure of the firewall, and activities covered by the firewall. Some most popular types of firewalls include:

Hardware Firewalls: These are physical devices dedicated to a network that handles incoming and outgoing traffic. Although these firewalls are very reliable, they demand higher upfront costs for physical installation.

Software Firewalls: These are software downloaded on each computer of the network that controls the traffic for that particular device. Although these are easier to install than hardware firewalls, software firewalls may slow down the performance of the computer since they use the resources.

Cloud Firewalls: These firewalls operate on a firewall-as-a-service model and are designed to control cloud-based applications and infrastructure. These firewalls offer the benefit of flexibility and scalability and work on a subscription basis.

Hybrid Firewalls: These firewalls are customised combining features of hardware, software and cloud firewalls. Although they offer adaptability, they are complex to configure and require higher technical expertise.

Packet-Filtering Firewalls: These firewalls are simple and very effective for basic traffic filtering and control. They monitor a small amount of traffic or data packets and assess the source and destination of these data packets before permitting them to enter the network.

Stateful Inspection Firewalls: These are similar to packet filtering firewalls and provide an advancement. These are more resource-intensive and allow more analytical filtering of data traffic.

Proxy Firewalls: Also known as application-level gateways, these firewalls assess traffic at the application layer and prevent application-level threats. 

Next-Generation Firewalls: These firewalls offer more comprehensive protection against threats with threat intelligence integration.

Unified Threat Management (UTM) Firewalls: This type of firewall provides an extensive range of security features including antivirus, intrusion detection and prevention and virtual private network (VPN). It is a cost-effective solution for startups and medium-sized businesses.

Web Application Firewalls: These firewalls are specifically designed to protect websites and web applications. These are useful for businesses that depend on web-applications like e-commerce platforms.

Why are Firewalls Important?

Firewalls are of utmost importance when it comes to cyber security. The following points merit consideration when understanding the importance of firewalls:

Firewalls act as the first line of defence against viruses and other malicious software. 

1. They monitor and prevent any unauthorised access to the computer network.

2. Advanced firewalls can monitor traffic, analyse the patterns and can identify the threats in real-time which makes it easier to mitigate them in real-time before they can even enter the computer network or systems.

3. Every business thrives on certain data that is sensitive and confidential. Firewalls detect and prevent any data breaches by blocking unauthorised access.

4. Data breaches or any other unauthorised access can result in financial loss for the business and even attract litigation. Firewalls mitigate these data breaches and prevent reputation damage.

Conclusion

Keeping a proactive approach to cybersecurity is essential and a firewall in a computer network provides protection against any unauthorised access, malicious software and other cyberthreats. A customised firewall can prevent your system from getting hacked or losing any sensitive business data. Tristar Tech Solutions provides firewall and other antivirus protection solutions tailored to your business requirements.