The modern internet plays host to countless users, some of whom exploit it to perform malicious attacks on organizations’ computer networks. If you want to protect your company’s precious data against both external attacks and internal misuse, you need to make sure the network includes at least one firewall.

A basic understanding of what firewalls do and what forms they commonly take can help you select the smartest firewall setup for your business’s particular needs and challenges. Start by studying the following questions and answers about these critical security safeguards.

What Does a Firewall Do?

A firewall regulates the flow of data between your computer network and the outside world. By monitoring and filtering incoming and outgoing communications, this hardware device or software program blocks potential malware. This two-way filtering can also help you reduce the amount of network bandwidth used.

How Do Hardware Firewalls Differ From Software Firewalls?

Hardware firewalls consist of separate devices, while software firewalls run on your computers’ existing hardware as an application. Although software firewalls obviously take up no extra space and cost less than hardware firewalls, hardware firewalls offer more comprehensive protection. A combination of the two provides optimal security.

In addition to local hardware and software firewalls, you may also want to look at virtual firewalls for your network. A virtual firewall performs similarly to the other options, but it monitors and filters incoming and outgoing data traffic offsite, through the cloud. This option might make sense as an additional safeguard for your network.

What Basic Firewall Types Should You Know About?

Packet-filtering firewalls represent the most basic type of firewall protection. These firewalls screen data by comparing the source and IP address of each packet against the firewall’s preset security rules, passing only those that obey those rules. However, they can’t evaluate the packets’ potential to cause problems on arrival.

Stateless packet-filtering firewalls do nothing more than examine the identifying header of each packet individually. Stateful packet-filtering firewalls offer a higher degree of security by evaluating data packets in the context of the packets that came before them, which makes these firewalls less vulnerable to hackers.

Next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) offer deep-packet inspection along with a variety of other security features. Network address translation (NAT) firewalls run multiple devices through a single IP address, hiding their individual addresses. Stateful multilayer inspection (SMLI) firewalls offer especially precise monitoring and filtering.

Why Do Firewalls Offer Greater Security Than Routers?

If your network already uses routers, you already have some built-in protection against malicious agents. For instance, you can often a router to block certain types of outgoing data, which would prevent that data from getting into the wrong hands. Routers will also refuse to route incoming data that doesn’t name a predesignated target.

While these benefits can certainly help you protect your network, they can’t analyze and filter data as intelligently as firewalls can. For example, a firewall can block suspicious data even when a computer user requested it by clicking on a link that might otherwise succeed in downloading a virus.

What Configuration Options Can a Firewall Give You?

Many of today’s firewalls come with a variety of configuration options, giving you plenty of control over how data streams get filtered through your network. The most secure configuration, known as a zero-trust policy, simply blocks all data traffic that you don’t explicitly pre-approve.

Other configuration options permit more flexibility. You might configure your firewall to allow certain social media connections but not others, or you might place bandwidth restrictions on those connections. While a firewall may offer basic plug-and-play functionality, you should take the time and effort to fine-tune its operations.

If you want to make sure your IT network enjoys optimal protection against hackers and other online threats, contact Communication Technology Associates, Inc. Our team can help you select the perfect firewall arrangement for your network and then provide professional installation and setup.