In recent years, the reliance on buying things online for daily requirements has increased dramatically. However, the internet is prone to a number of risks. Any organisation or individual who exposes their systems to the internet must work to protect its information and resources by using proper techniques to avoid these potential risks. One of these methods is the firewall. So, let’s find out what a firewall in cyber security is and how it works to protect you from malicious activities.

Introduction to Cyber Security

Phishing, Wi-Fi hacking, clicking on malicious links, and downloading infected files are things we face every day now. So, cyber security has become a major part of our lives. It includes various practices, processes, and technologies to protect computers, networks, data, and programs from attack or unauthorised access. With the growing reliance on technology via smartphones and computers, cyber security is crucial to prevent data breaches and privacy violations. Hackers continuously target individuals, businesses, and organisations to exploit the faults in systems and networks.

How does a Firewall work?

A firewall acts as a barrier between a trusted internal network and an untrusted external network, such as the internet. It monitors incoming and outgoing network traffic based on the pre-set security rules. A firewall in cyber security determines whether to allow or block traffic based on these rules. These rules can be configured to filter traffic by IP addresses and protocols.

When data packets enter or leave a network, the firewall inspects each packet to see if it has successfully met the criteria set by pre-set security rules. If in case any data packet violates the security rules, the firewall can block or filter the data. This would prevent it from reaching its destination.

Additionally, firewalls can also log and track network activity. Thus, they can detect suspicious patterns or potential security breaches.

Value of Firewalls in Cyber Security

In cybersecurity, there are many ways in which digital security can be compromised. Firewalls play an important part in protecting you from data theft and other cyber-attacks.

Cyber criminals trick people into providing sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, account numbers, and credit/debit card details. Such activities are known as phishing. They involve fraudulent emails, text messages, websites, or threats that appear legitimate, leading unsuspected individuals to disclose their personal information and fall into the trap of phishing.

Often, failing to update the software and operating systems on devices makes them vulnerable to phishing activities. Such devices fall prey into security flaws and lead to innocent people being exploited.

Types of Firewalls

Now that you know about the meaning of firewall in network security, let’s know more about the different types of firewalls. Network firewall security is commonly of three types of firewalls include packet filtering firewalls, proxy service firewalls and stateful inspection firewalls. Let’s know more about them.

• Packet Filtering

A packet filtering firewall controls the flow of incoming and outgoing network data. It checks and limits the movement of data based on pre-set security rules such as IP addresses and protocols.

They are efficient and can provide basic security by allowing or restricting traffic based on security rules. However, they have limitations in terms of inspecting the actual data contained in packets. Such firewalls make decisions based on only the information available in the packet header.

• Proxy Service Firewall

A proxy service firewall serves as a bridge between internal users and the internet by monitoring and blocking the traffic to and from the internet. This prevents access to unauthorised parties. Some examples of proxy service firewalls include application or gateway firewalls designed to inspect a small set of application-specific traffic.

• Stateful Inspection Firewall

As the name implies, stateful inspection firewalls can inspect the state of active connections. They check whether incoming packets belong to an established connection or not. It is similar to a traditional packet filtering firewall in terms of inspecting data in packets, not just based on security rules.

Cisco ASA (adaptive security appliance)is a commonly used security appliance that uses stateful inspection firewall functionality. It also provides security features like VPN and other preventive features.

• Next Generation Firewall

A next generation firewall (NGFW) is a much more advanced network security device that combines traditional firewall functionalities with additional features such as deep packet inspection and application-level inspection. This allows NGFWs to offer better protection against modern and much more evolved threats as compared to traditional firewalls. They also identify and block known and unknown threats using real time analysis of network traffic.

Some examples of next generation firewalls include Cisco firepower NGFWs,Palo alto networks NGFWs,check point next generation firewalls and many others.

Why do you need Firewalls?

Be it network protection, threat prevention, data security, compliance requirements, or simply protecting you from cyber-attacks, firewalls do it all. They maintain the confidentiality and integrity of the network resources and data that are available.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Firewall

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of firewall:

Advantages

• Firewalls make sure that the data packets that enter the network are safe and free from malicious content.
• They prevent unauthorised access and hacking attempts. This helps to maintain the security of the network.
• Firewalls block harmful content from unsecure websites and spam messages.
• They provide a trusted network environment in order to increase privacy and protect sensitive information.

Disadvantages

• Firewalls can be costly, as they require a significant investment.
• Sometimes firewalls end up restricting employees from performing necessary operations, hampering productivity.
• Monitoring every packet of data that passes through network of firewalls eventually slows down the network operations. This leads to performance issues.

Conclusion

In the end, firewalls in cyber security are essential for protecting you against various cyber threats, including cyberbullying. Additionally, a cyber insurance policy serve as an extra layer of security to protect you from the potential impact of cybercrimes.

FAQs

What is the role of a firewall in cyber security?

Firewalls and network security cannot be separated from each other. Its primary role is to inspect incoming and outgoing network traffic based on pre-set security rules.

What are the different types of firewalls?

There are many types of firewalls, that include packet filtering firewalls, stateful inspection firewalls, next generation firewalls, application layer firewalls, circuit level gateways, software firewalls, hardware firewalls, and cloud firewalls.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using firewalls in network security?

The advantages include managing network traffic, preventing viruses and malware, and improving data security. On the other hand, disadvantages include slowed down network speed and potential user restrictions.