A firewall (firewall) is a hardware and software package of tools that filter local and incoming traffic, according to the parameters previously set by the administrator. The main purpose of using a firewall is to protect information from intruders and filter traffic.
A firewall is a comprehensive protection that is considered mandatory for any corporate network. In addition to filtering traffic, the firewall has another important function — protecting confidential data from leakage, as well as protecting against unauthorized access to the network by malicious software.
The auxiliary (secondary) functions of the firewall of the screen may include:
- logging of all events;
- recording suspicious activity;
- keeping records of network equipment;
- analysis of port usage and network connections;
- filtering different types of data, etc.
Information security audit
Firewall Features
The firewall is used for:
- Filtering traffic, blocking applications that try to access unsecured system services.
- Preventing unauthorized access to data by intruders and preventing attempts to send confidential information.
- Providing access control to network equipment and ports.
- Logging within the network and recording application/hardware activity in statistics.
- Sending notifications when suspicious activity is detected or attempts to attack the enterprise network.
On its own, the firewall is not able to guarantee full protection of network equipment from malicious software and malicious activity. A firewall is not an alternative to antivirus software.
The greatest efficiency of the firewall can be ensured when it works in combination with other protective mechanisms (hardware and software). According to the principle of operation, the firewall and antivirus are very different from each other:
- The firewall can detect and remove virus software that is already present on the computer.
- Antivirus also prevents malware from entering your computer.
Hacking and data interception technologies in networks are constantly evolving, and solutions to protect against them are lagging behind in development. Therefore, in any corporate network, it is necessary to organize comprehensive protection of confidential data in order to get the maximum effect from it.
When choosing a specific type of firewall, you need to rely specifically on your requirements and the types of equipment used.