Hearing “firewall” in the context of computing can be confusing. How does a tall, blazing fire separating rescue teams from people trapped apply to computers?
Well, imagine the rescue team using heavy blasts of water to save the day. A hacker is as motivated to get at your data. They will try everything to bypass your security. They want to get inside your network perimeter. In a business office, computers and printers are often networked together. This lets Jane in accounting and Kevin in graphic design access the same business tools.
In computing, a firewall sits between that internal network and the internet outside. It’s kind of like a nightclub bouncer. You definitely want it to be as burly and intimidating as possible to keep the riff-raff out. The firewall helps reduce or prevent unwanted traffic from getting through.
The Packet Filtering Firewall Approach
Your firewall can be hardware, software, or both. A packet-filter firewall monitors and controls network traffic. It filters data entering the network according to predetermined rules. IT experts set up a firewall to examine small amounts of data (called “packets”) to see if they contain threats. It checks packet data against criteria such as allowed IP addresses and packet type. If the data is suspect, the firewall stops those packets. If not, the data will continue on to its destination.
Firewalls stop certain software from sending and receiving data to and from the internet. This reduces the number of entry points for viruses or illegitimate traffic. After all, a club wouldn’t want to hire the bouncers to cover seven different doors.
A firewall also monitors outgoing traffic. Why’s that? Because an infected computer in your network could be sending out malicious information. If your company has fallen victim to a malware attack that turns a computer into a bot, it might be “phoning home.”
Unlike E.T. trying to get back to the safety of his home planet, the malware is checking in with its Zombie master. It’s helping to strengthen the bad guy’s ability to attack victims.
Firewalls can help prevent denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. In a DoS incident, thousands of computers are used to send an overwhelming amount of traffic to a network. It’s like putting 10,000 people in an elevator with an occupancy limit of 20 – expect a crash.
One famous 2016 attack seriously disrupted Amazon, Visa, PayPal, Netflix, AirBnB, and more.
Other Types of Firewall
Packet-filtering firewalls aren’t your only option. Stateful inspection is helping to make firewalls even smarter. These check where the packet came from, where it is going, and what application requested it. This end-to-end examination is more rigorous. All the parameters must match trusted information for the packet to pass through. This approach offers a smart, fast way to inspect for unauthorized traffic.
When setting up any firewall, it is important to avoid any unintentional openings. A hole in a chainlink fence renders perimeter security useless. A hole in a firewall leaves your network vulnerable.
Need help deciding on the right type of firewall for your business? Want to be sure your firewalls are going to withstand attack?
Client Testomonials
We found it very easy to work with Underdog. He gave a very clear and professional quote, he has been promptly responsive in all communications, and the network is working great. I feel very good about using his company for any future IT needs for our business.
Barton Heights had a very successful computer upgrade due to Underdog. I met with him 2-3 months before the project and he gave us an estimate of the entire upgrade process involving 31 computers and a server. He advised us and placed the order. He also worked with us and ended up revising the estimate twice to completely satisfy our computer upgrade needs. He added true value to his service as he was willing to perform the upgrade in the evening when we were closed to minimize our down time as we are a paperless business and rely 100% on our computers. Carmine stepped up and took care of those problems as well, even though that was not his responsibility. He always responds quickly to any issue that occurs. I would highly recommend him to anyone!
I HAVE WORKED WITH CARMINE FOR MANY YEARS. HE HAS DONE EVERYTHING FROM NETWORK SERVER INSTALLATION TO PROGRAM TROUBLESHOOTING. HIS QUALITY OF WORK AND KNOWLEDGE ARE OUTSTANDING. YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON Underdog TO WORK HARD FOR YOU.
Underdog makes you feel that you are his first concern if you have a Server down or you have a small printing question. We have been with Carmine for 16 years and have only received quality service.
Thank you Underdog. Will recommend you from the rooftops.
12 years in business and I have been there and done that with other IT / Computer biz, and finally found one that listens, asks questions, and comes up with a plan. If you are having issues or just want to see if there are options for and avenues of improvement for your computer / networking needs, checkout Underdog Computer and Network Support LLC. There are some others that are good, but I cannot express the difference enough - they actually get it! Every business IS different with different needs and processes, and they take the time to find what is best for you instead of what they think is best for you! Thank you, Carmine J. Corridore, for allowing me to have a stress free vacation this year! I look forward to working with you in the near future for some serious upgrades!
"Underdog Computer and Network Support are amazing. They go over and above to help the small business owner Thank you Carmine for all you do"
Underdog Came out to install our Phone System. They made a complicated process easy. Brian Davis, Full Circle Removal.
We have used Underdog Computer and Networking for business and personal use. We have found them easy to schedule an appointment, very responsive, professional, and quick to isolate the problem and/or identify our real need. We highly recommend Underdog.
For More Information Fill out form below
[wpforms id=”5383″]
Leave A Comment