Sometimes referred to as network security devices, firewalls are the central component of a company’s cybersecurity strategy. A robust set of perimeter as well as internal firewalls on a certain network could assist in keeping malicious traffic out and decrease the breakout speed of cyberattacks that are coming from within the network. However, in order to get only the best results, effective firewall management is required.
However, there are certain challenges faced by effective firewall management, which they need to overcome in order to truly have strong network security.
Challenges of Firewall Management
Selecting the appropriate firewall for your needs
It may come as a surprise to you that there different kinds of firewall architectures that you can choose from. Most of these architectures come about after adding on existing firewalls in order to boost the security they offer. Here’s the basic progression of firewalls Florence SC based on security and complexity.
- Packet filtering firewalls – the most basic and oldest type of firewall, which only performs shallow checks.
- Circuit level gateways – simple type of firewalls that offer low impact fast data packet verification.
- Stateful inspection firewalls – functions as a both packet filtering as well as circuit level gateway technology.
- Application level gateways – also referred to as proxy firewalls. They stop data packet from interconnecting with the network directly.
- Next Gen Firewalls – may have some or all of the functions of other kinds of firewalls.
So, why choose only one kind of firewall? A lot of companies use different kinds of firewalls and varying management procedures for different areas of their network in order to develop a strong network security and segmentation. Additionally, your decision will also depend on your company’s specific goals. It’s better to consult with an IT expert before making a choice.
Creating Strong Network Segmentation
One important strategy for create defense-in-depth against cybercriminals is network segmentation. The advantages of using robust network segmentation are the following:
- Cut back the damage that’s caused by a network breach
- Make the implementation of a policy easier
- Boost overall data security
- Slow down cybercriminals
It’s because of these benefits that a company needs to configure firewall deployment so that a robust network segmentation is created. If attackers take longer to break out from one network to another, your IT professionals will have more time to check and contain the cybersecurity breach. It will also reduce the assets and data that are accessed at once, which limits the damage.
Blocking Hostile Traffic Without Affecting Legitimate Requests
Although firewalls have to block possible hostile traffic, they also have to avoid impeding traffic requests that are legitimate. If not, the user experience of the network will surely suffer, which will reduce productivity and create inconveniences.
In order to deal with this, it’s important to develop customized configurations for the firewall settings so that specific traffic types are allowed while others are blocked. With a managed firewall service can help in providing the expertise required to modify the firewall for minimum interference and maximum cybersecurity.
Managing Firewall Program Updates
Several firewall solutions are known to be software based and will, therefore, require periodic updates in order to close possible vulnerabilities as well as update what is considered as hostile traffic. Making sure that the firewall is updated is among the most basic management procedures that companies need to focus on but such updates are can still be easily missed especially when the IT departments are overworked and they have other priorities to deal with.
Call SpartanTec, Inc. now if you want to know more about firewall management. Our team of IT experts are always ready to assist you and help improve your company’s cybersecurity.
SpartanTec, Inc.
Florence, SC 29501
843-396-8762
http://manageditservicesflorence.com
Florence, SC 29501
843-396-8762
http://manageditservicesflorence.com
Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence
