Benefits and Importance of a Firewall
As a business, you want to make sure your premises and inventory are protected from intrusion or theft by having a series of locks, alarms, and security cameras. The same type of protection is just as important for your computer systems, to prevent malicious users from disrupting your operations or from stealing your private data.
An important tool used for computer security is a firewall. Regardless of the size of your business, if it has access to the internet, it should have firewall protection.
Firewalls establish a barrier between secured and controlled internal networks that can be trusted and untrusted outside networks, such as the internet. They monitor incoming and outgoing network traffic and decides whether to allow or block specific traffic based on a defined set of security rules.
Having a firewall is an important tool for your business, especially in today’s digital world. Without a firewall, it is a lot easier for hackers to access your systems and your data. Some of the benefits of having a firewall include the following.
Enhanced privacy. Ability to block or hide DNS information of all internal hosts. Only the IP address of the firewall is available from the internet.
Concentrated security. Only need to ensure firewall is void of vulnerabilities to secure network assuming no backdoors exist.
Policy enforcement. A firewall offers a method to enforce the network policy of an organization.
Monitors traffic. Firewalls evaluate the traffic entering the network’s system by checking the packets which carry information.
Blocks trojans. Trojans are a type of computer virus. Firewalls block these viruses from the onset, thus protect the system against potential damage.
Monitor employees. Firewalls are also a useful tool to block employees from accessing prohibited websites and to filter web traffic.
There are also two types of firewalls; software and hardware firewall. If you search for firewalls, you will probably come across a combination of hardware and software firewalls marketed to small and medium-sized businesses. While both are important, they also serve different purposes depending on your needs.
With hardware firewalls, an advanced IT department is required to install along with monitoring and management once installed. Hardware firewalls are typically used by large companies or companies that need utmost security protection.
A software firewall is installed on an individual computer and protects that single device and it controls the behavior of specific applications.
While many computers on the market come with a basic built-in firewall, it isn’t always the best for keeping your information safe. It is recommended to utilize a dedicated firewall service or appliance.
The Tech Zen is a Managed Services Provider located in south east Florida. We provide a range of services to solve your technology troubles. Each of our technicians has over 10 years of experience in servicing both PC and Apple environments. We can address your internet security concerns, provide data backup solutions, and offer ongoing support for your office to provide peace of mind. Contact us to find out how we can help.
