Whether you are a corporate enterprise or a small business, if your organization connects to the internet you must pay attention to the threats that can arise from this type of access.  Hackers do not care what industry you are in or what region your sales team targets, the only thing that matters to them is finding an opening to an unsuspecting and unprotected business.

Protecting the assets of a business with multiple layers of security is important. Leveraging different technologies at the various levels that ensure the organization can thrive while preventing harmful entities from interfering.  When determining the course of action for your business, a next-generation firewall (NGFW) needs to be an essential part of that cybersecurity plan. 

What is a firewall?

A firewall is a network security appliance for your business that establishes the perimeter of protected access for your organization. Firewalls look for unusual or malicious activity on all traffic coming in and out using Intrusion Prevention Services (IPS) & Intrusion Detection Services (IDS) technologies.  It protects the network from unauthorized access and blocks anything deemed unsafe from passing through.  Your firewall should be viewed as your first line of defense against attacks and a barrier for your business against intrusion.

Why should I consider this for my business?

1. It can block unauthorized entry to prevent threats including viruses and malware.
2. It allows you to control access to external, unapproved websites.
3. It can alert your business when something seems off providing an opportunity to control the situation and prevent data loss.
4. It can provide notifications and data surrounding the threats.
5. It can help a business maintain compliance standards by keeping sensitive data safe.
6. It will allow a high-level of security while supporting the remote worker and access from outside locations.

Why configurations matter?

Whether you have selected a hardware or software firewall for your business, there is one other component you must consider during the implementation and ongoing maintenance of your selected perimeter security solution.  A firewall with improper configurations can hinder the productivity and workflows of an organization by restricting necessary business applications.  One with too few security controls configured properly possess the threat of opening the pathway for harmful viruses or malware to wreak havoc in your network.

Your team or your managed service security provider (MSSP) will need to make the appropriate configurations within the firewall to fit your business model.  As found consistently with other elements of technology, adjusting the configurations to your needed specifications will allow the program to operate at full efficiency.  This optimization will enable the solution to fit your unique operations and business model.  The best approach will be analyzing business requirements, creating a baseline, definition and implementation of policies to support while securing business. Focus on security and usability adjusting the slider between the two to find the optimal configuration.

Cybersecurity Protection

While firewalls are an important component in cybersecurity prevention, it is recommended that they be a part of a comprehensive plan to protect your business using a layered defense strategy.  By incorporating multiple layers of protection, you are making it more difficult and challenging for hackers to gain access to your business. Mitigation of threat by baseline security and hardening goes a long way to prevent unskilled attacks.

Perimeter security is only one component in the layered defense strategy for your business. Other layers include network, endpoint, application, data security, and policy management. Within each layer there are various technologies and services that need to be considered.  If you don’t feel that your technology investments are working cohesively or you are concerned there are security gaps within your infrastructure, reach out to your MSSP for a complete cybersecurity assessment. 

Advanticom’s cybersecurity team is here to help with all of your managed security needs.  Our approach to external management is to continually improve utilization while increasing your security posture.  Our service includes maintenance, monitoring, and options for configuration changes based on demand.  Contact us today at [email protected] or check out our website for more information.