The Role of Firewalls in Network Cybersecurity

(Photo : The Role of Firewalls in Network Cybersecurity)

The term firewall might sound a bit dramatic considering it refers to something that can't be seen by humans. But it's actually pretty indicative of the role firewalls have when it comes to network security.  

Organizations around the world are literally under fire. Fraudsters, scammers, hackers, and other rogue agents want to acquire sensitive information by any means possible. This might be someone trying to steal credit card numbers from unsuspecting Internet surfers. Or, it could be a malicious organization trying to steal business or government secrets. 

No matter the situation, it's a no-brainer to recognize and prioritize digital security. A firewall is essentially a network's first line of defense in doing this. 

Imagine a castle without a wall or archers. Anyone could just walk in and pillage it for all it's worth. You don't want your personal or company data to be exposed like that. By using a combination of hardware and software, it's possible to build a defense system capable of deflecting incoming attacks. 

Why Is a Firewall Important for Enterprise Networks?

There are a few reasons why it's especially important for enterprises to utilize firewalls on their networks. Network security has to be a top concern for all enterprises. There's simply too much important data flowing though these channels to do anything less than ensure total security. 

In fact, the biggest data breaches have been levered against enterprises (think Yahoo!, Facebook, and Marriott). The main reasons cited for these breaches have been hacking and poor security protocols. There's simply no excuse for enterprises to allow this kind of oversight when the dangers of online threats are so well known in today's world. 

So, what should enterprises do to ensure their firewalls stand up to the threats out in the wild? Here are a few ideas to boost that network security:

• Understand the top threats to your organization. Look at data and case studies surrounding other enterprises that have suffered due to breaches. Learning from the mistakes of others (or your own) will allow the enterprise to better prepare for future attacks. 

• Utilize the best tools to do the job. Sometimes, you have to make do with what you have. But this shouldn't be the case when it comes to network security. Enterprises need to build a comprehensive network security infrastructure in order to defend against what's out there. Implementing SD-WAN security is one example of how enterprises can do this. Using SD-WAN allows enterprises to centrally control and monitor their networks and connected devices. Networks can be extremely complex for global enterprises, which is why it's essential to have an intuitive way to manage and secure them.

• Consider the benefits of hired network security. All enterprises need a dedicated IT department. But there are also benefits to using outside services to oversee and provide additional layers of protection to networks. Having comprehensive outside monitoring can help mitigate issues by identifying threats that might be missed by the in-house team. 

Should All Businesses Have a Firewall?

Some people might argue that only large organizations need to worry about network security like this. But this isn't a fair assessment at all. Every business needs to take this seriously, regardless of size. Actually, about 43 percent of cyber threats attack small businesses. This underscores the need for a firewall. 

Having a firewall doesn't need to be a massive investment for small businesses and sole proprietors. There are plenty of affordable options out there for those who aren't yet

pulling in massive revenue. The fact is that there are scammers looking to steal data from anyone who allows them to do it. While there's generally more at the enterprise level, it's often just as valuable when it comes from a small business. 

The bottom line is that firewalls are an important part of building a secure network. Failing to implement a firewall is just setting up a network to be infiltrated by dangerous parties.