A firewall is a cyber security solution that prevents unauthorised access to a person or business’ internal network.
Much like a fireproof door, a firewall places a network barrier between your computer and your network. This limits the scope of cyber attacks against your network.
The firewall has long been the first line of defence for regular internet users and businesses – and these days they’re even more important.
In short, it’s a cyber security essential.
What does a firewall do?
A firewall scans traffic coming in and out of your network for malicious data.
Essentially, it works as a filter to prevent criminals and hackers from accessing information contained within your network – like a security fence prevents unauthorised access. This is not the same as endpoint (anti-virus) or email security.
If you don’t have a firewall, then anything can flow into your network and therefore your devices. This means that criminals can access confidential information, and either use it to hold you to ransom or even sell it on the dark web.
Conversely, a firewall allows you to be selective with the data that enters your network. This means that you can configure rules that permit certain traffic to pass through your network to your devices and prevent less suitable, unauthorised, or potentially dangerous data.
For context, the original version of Windows XP came without a firewall. This left computers vulnerable to infection within minutes of connecting to the internet!
This was remedied with Windows XP Service Pack 2, but it was still very basic and stripped-back.
If you have a router at home, this will likely come with a personal firewall installed, protecting users who want to do light internet browsing. This, however, is not suitable for commercial or confidential purposes.
Not all firewalls are created equal
Essentially, there is a huge difference between personal and network firewalls.
All versions of Windows now come with a firewall pre-installed – but these only protect the individual computer or device and are also far more limited than a next-generation firewall.
Businesses need an enterprise-grade firewall for their network security needs. These are much more thorough in their inspection of internet traffic and possess premium features such as Intrusion Protection Services (IPS) and some even have AI-driven security!
These features may sound like unnecessary luxuries but in today’s world, cyber attacks are becoming much more complex – especially against businesses – and more robust cyber security solutions are mandatory in order to meet these threats.
Your Network as a Fortress
These days, we’re all connecting more and more devices to networks which makes network security difficult to monitor. Therefore, a firewall that simplifies but also bolsters network security is essential.
This is where come in.
Threats are evolving faster than many standard network security solutions providers can keep up with – but not ours!
Our enterprise-grade firewall offers unified threat management, using artificial intelligence to protect against malware. It also includes a round-the-clock threat detection and response service.
Neuways delivers threat reports, providing you with detailed information about intercepted attacks, so you can prevent future threats.
To learn more about how a firewall can secure your business, contact us on 01283 753 333 or email us at hello@neuways.com.
