Network Firewall Security: Reasons Why Businesses Need Them?
In today’s world, businesses are experiencing global scale connection for every small or big task. A vast number of companies are connected to the internet to perform different tasks and business functions. While the connection to the internet is a positive thing as it is helping millions of businesses thrive, it also opens up the risk of cyberattacks and data thefts.
Unfortunately, cyber security has become one crucial issue worldwide, making it mandatory for any business to have a strong and highly effective firewall in effect.
This article will walk you through network firewall security and why online businesses need it.
What is a Firewall?
A firewall is a structure erected in a building to prevent the spread of fire and protect lives. The same term was co-opted for the Internet age because of the similarities possessed by computer firewalls. A network firewall is a network security device that protects the system and data from unauthorized access and hackers. By installing a firewall, a company can keep out intruders by blocking them from accessing the systems.
Also, a firewall protects the computer system from viruses, malware, and other threats. The application security system of a network firewall can help in monitoring your employees’ activities and even ensure compliance with corporate policies.
Reasons Why A Business Needs Network Firewall Security
Below are some major reasons why your business should consider implementing firewall network security in its IT infrastructure:
#1. The firewall protects the company from hackers:
It is a social engineering attack through which hackers commonly compromise business systems and data. Hackers, scammers, and cybercriminals are known to hack into systems 24/7. When you and your employees are resting in their homes, hackers are trying to attack and break your systems.
While high-quality cybersecurity training is considered the most effective way to tackle this problem in the bud, firewalls also contribute majorly to protecting the systems against cyber attacks. It is with the help of firewalls that you can be alerted of malicious incoming traffic and also block attacks.
#2. A firewall protects the business and its employees from malicious code:
All computer networks run a code that allows networks, businesses, and people to communicate around the entire world. However, code comes with some rather major issues. First, it can bring unwanted ‘junk’ into the network that further leads to gumming up servers, and wasting resources. Second, code can be used by cybercriminals to enter into your network and also use more code to hide computer viruses, worms, spam, and more.
By installing firewalls you can protect your computer from viruses and other malicious software. You can easily monitor incoming and outgoing data and also log any unusual activities. In addition to this, some firewall network security systems also are configured to alert you when the attack takes place or when someone tries to gain unauthorized access to the system. Firewalls are efficient enough to learn and remember malicious applications, block them, and protect your computer system and network.
#3. A firewall can be used to provide VPN services:
Encryption technology is used by virtual private networks (VPN) to secure communications between two parties. The encrypted traffic can travel across networks without the knowledge of anyone else.
As per several IT consulting services companies, the other use of a firewall is that it can provide VPN services. For instance, the company can configure the firewall so that only some chosen computers can access the Internet. Then, a tunnel can be created that allows the selected computers to communicate securely over the Internet.
Also, data that is transferred between the business computers and remote offices can be encrypted using a firewall. This acts as a gateway connecting the company’s local area network (LAN) with the wide area network (WAN).
#4. You can block access to unapproved websites through a firewall:
Not only does a firewall block unauthorized users from accessing your system but also it can block access to certain unapproved websites. This comes to help when you want to prevent your employees from browsing inappropriate websites during working hours or those that might have the possibility of malicious downloads while working on the network.
For example, you can block the access of your employees to gambling websites, online shopping sites, or sites offering illegal downloads. In this way, you can easily control what things your employees see or use during working hours. Additionally, you can prevent network exposures to the websites leading to malicious software making its way into your network or systems.
#5. You can put limits on bandwidth usage by installing firewalls:
Using the internet can result in lower productivity when an unreasonable amount of time is spent online by the employees and that too is not because of the work. This non-business-related access to the internet leads to using up valuable bandwidth while causing other problems. When few people use bandwidth, the data speed is high allowing employees to complete their work on time, and vice-versa.
Firewalls can come to your help as they can control network bandwidth. With firewall network security, you can easily limit the amount of bandwidth available for a certain type of access or data. It does not turn bandwidth off entirely but lets you put limits on how much employees can use it to watch videos, media files, and many other things. This way, your valuable bandwidth will provide access to faster speeds and be reserved for work-related activities.
Conclusion
With today’s digital world, the more a business protects its network, the more valuable data it will be able to collect, thereby increasing its productivity. You can either just invest in a high-quality firewall, or a combination of hardware and software as a managed IT cybersecurity system. However, it is always better to purchase a firewall that comes with antivirus protection. Firewalls act as the most significant part of an efficient cyber security strategy. It is not only cost-effective but also ensures efficient protection against cyberattacks and data theft.
For more information, contact Citrus Consulting at (+971) 04 516 1500 or email at info@citrusconsulting.com.
