A firewall is a cybersecurity tool on your network perimeter. It monitors incoming and outgoing traffic through your network and stops unauthorized traffic from gaining access to your sensitive business data. It also blocks malicious users and malicious software. Without a firewall, your network security is bare and open for attack from any of the numerous cybersecurity threats that are ever-present in today’s internet-driven world. They’re the foundation of your network security, and as such, they’re typically standard on most devices.
Are There Any Vulnerabilities with Firewalls?
The biggest vulnerability to your network is not having a firewall at all, so for all intents and purposes, it’s always better to have one than to be completely open to attack.
As with other forms of security, if your firewall isn’t properly maintained, hackers and other malicious entities may find ways to breach your systems
Remember to keep your firewall updated with the latest security—even better to have it managed properly by a competent IT team or your managed service provider (MSP).
That being said, the less advanced your firewall is, the more vulnerable it is to higher-level attacks, especially if your firewall doesn’t use DPI to investigate data packets fully. Less advanced firewalls tend to get hit harder by distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.
These types of attacks are forceful but straightforward, bombarding your network with large amounts of traffic in an attempt to overload and overextend its security and resources.
Although next-generation firewalls can help mitigate these attacks and more, the evolving cyberthreat landscape will always create new challenges that will need to be faced.
One could argue that even firewalls are susceptible to lateral insider attacks, but this simply reinforces the importance of having an advanced firewall that can isolate compromised servers and protect your system as a whole.
Keep in mind that merely having a firewall is not the end-all-be-all of your network security. It’s an essential component of your IT and network security. Still, as a tool, it doesn’t replace the necessity for you to remain vigilant about other threats, your endpoints, and other IT assets.
Firewalls won’t replace the need for your business to have solid policies and protocols in place for data protection, data recovery, business continuity and disaster recovery, and other important areas related to data security.
The Future of Firewalls
The rise of next-generation firewalls has in fact been the biggest change in the evolution of this type of security, as with all innovative technologies, they will only continue to improve as they adapt to new and increasing threats.
Perhaps the most significant change to look forward to is the increase in automation and intelligence in the NGFWs, which will further improve their ability to detect threats and mitigate the damage any breaches cause to your systems. The more sophisticated the firewall, the more secure your private business systems will be.
We recommend getting a next-generation firewall like the Sophos XG, but unless you have members on your team who know how to properly maintain and make use of its vast array of features, you won’t be making the most out of the amazing tool.
Instead of dealing with the headache and costs that come with training new or current employees to manage your network security, why not hand the task over to an MSP like Commprise?
Our Managed Security Services is ready to provide your business with the technologies, insight, and oversight that your organization needs to stay ahead in the modern business landscape.
Of course, your network security isn’t merely a technological problem, it’s a people problem, as well.
Not only will we make sure your next-generation firewall is up to date to protect against the new threats, but we’ll also work with your team to keep them up to speed on the security best practices and provide comprehensive security awareness training.