Imagine a wall in your computer so high and thick nothing bad can pass through or climb over. That’s a firewall.

It protects your personal information on your digital devices by blocking unauthorized access. It stops hackers from infiltrating your computer with malware such as viruses, spyware, and other programs that cause damage to your machine.

Essentially, a firewall is the good guy.

Why Do We Need Firewalls?

According to the NCSA Cyber Security, only four percent of people actually understand what firewalls do and why they’re needed.

Have you ever searched the web at work for something seemingly innocuous, only to find an error message preventing access to that site?

Well, that’s the firewall doing its job.

It blocks incoming and outgoing traffic based on source, destination, and content. And it’s essential to the security of your computer system at home and work.

If your firewall settings aren’t properly installed and configured, then you may provide an opportunity for unauthorized access to your network. And if you sometimes uses your computer at home and at work vulnerabilities in your personal computer can put your business at risk.

Types of Firewalls

Types of firewalls include software, hardware, or both, and they work together to keep your system safe.

  • Packet-filtering operates at the router. It uses an established set of rules to filter IP addresses, packets, port numbers, and more to decide whether the info should be blocked or allowed access.
  • Circuit-level gateways monitor IP networks between the local and remote hosts to determine whether the session is legitimate and can be trusted.
  • Stateful inspection examines the information and keeps track of whether or not it’s part of an established IP session.
  • Application-level gateways filter packets not only according to the service for which they are intended, but also by certain other characteristics such as HTTP request.

Firewalls are vital to your computer, but they’re not perfect. For businesses to protect their network infrastructure, a more secure firewall such as Unified Threat Management system is recommended.

Protect Your Business with UTM

A firewall for a business is more complex than a personal computer because employers, especially those in the medical field, must protect all of the devices attached to the network. Otherwise, their data can be compromised.

As the amount and type of security threats evolve, so does technology. Most businesses need an all-inclusive security product.

Newer hybrid firewalls, like Unified Threat Management (UTM), have the same protections as the original firewalls, plus other safety features.

This type of firewall performs multiple security functions. It can monitor the network and scan traffic and programs accessing your network. If it notices a virus or malware, it prevents it from accessing the system.

What Do I Do Now?

This may seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Strategy can make this process easier for you.

Our technicians will do a comprehensive security assessment of networks and firewalls that protect your business and data. Check out our IT support and services and let our good guys keep the bad guys out of your computer.

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