A firewall is a network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on established security rules. The VPN acts as a wall between a private network (like your home or company network) and a public network (like the internet).
How Firewalls Work
A firewall looks at every packet of data entering and leaving a network. They check the information of the packet against a set of security rules and determine whether or not the traffic should be allowed to pass. There can be many popular firewall rules like:
Port Blocking: Preventing access to certain ports (ex FTP or SSH)
Filtering on the basis of IP Address: Allow/ Block traffic from specific IP addresses
Protocol Filtering – Specifying the filtering of traffic based on the protocol (example: packet).
Types of Firewalls
Hardware firewalls — physical devices that filter traffic on a network level.
Software Firewalls: Are those that are software-based that run on an individual pc or server.
Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW): These are modern firewalls with additional features, including intrusion prevention, application control, and VPN services.
Benefits of Using a Firewall
Malware Defense: Firewalls can also help by blocking harmful traffic, including malware like viruses, worms, and Trojans.
Stop Hackers from Accessing Your Network: Firewalls stop hackers from stealing your sensitive information.
Policy Enforcement Firewalls can enforce security policy like preventing access to specific web sites or services
Enhanced network performance — By blocking out traffic that does not need to be in your local network, firewalls can enhance its performance.
Conclusion
As we said, firewalls can protect your network from cyber threats. If you know a bit about the way the firewalls works and how you can implement it, you can exponentially increase security of your network. Take note to select a firewall based on your personal needs, and update your firewall with the new security patches.
