What is Next Generation Firewall?
So what is a next generation firewall? How does it work and who needs one? These are some of the questions asked by IT Security specialists, but there is little information available that answers them.
What is a firewall?
Firewalls are essentially a layer of software that acts as a barrier to prevent someone from accessing their data or system. Firewalls are used for many different reasons; protecting your computer from hackers, stopping people in your home from installing harmful software, preventing people from gaining access to your bank accounts or credit card details, and preventing your children accessing your computer. Firewalls can be installed in various ways, with one of the most common being the use of a firewall software. There is also an installation of software known as “Internet Connection Firewall” which is an effective and cheaper alternative.
What do firewalls do?
Firewalls are designed to perform a number of tasks. For example, they are designed to stop people from gaining access to your computer, blocking hackers or other people from gaining access to your system. They can also monitor what internet websites you are visiting and block them. Firewalls are also used to limit the amount of bandwidth you have on your system and prevent it from using the majority of your hard drive space.
Many people don’t realise how much bandwidth is used on their computers when surfing the internet. As a result, many people are using a lot more internet than they think they need. This leads to a lot of files being saved and deleted quickly, leading to slower speeds and decreased file sharing capabilities. This in turn results in the need for firewalls to keep the speed of your computer up while limiting the amount of files stored in the computer. One of the most common uses for firewalls is to protect your internet browsing activities.
Firewalls are often very expensive as well. If you aren’t careful about what you download and install, you may find yourself spending a large amount of money on anti-virus programs to combat the malicious software that gets placed on your computer. There are some firewalls available that are free, but these may not have a good enough security program or firewall. to be able to properly protect your computer and you might run into problems that could even make your system corrupt.
Firewalls have come a long way from the days of simple one-way firewalls. They are now multifunctional systems that not only help protect your computer from unauthorised access, but can also offer additional features such as protection against viruses and spyware. to keep your computer safe.
How do next generation firewalls work?
Next generation firewalls or NGFW as they are sometimes called, use both static and dynamic packet filtering and VPN support to ensure that all connections between the network, internet, and firewall are valid and secure.
Next generation firewalls are configured to be able to to filter packets based on applications. These firewalls have extensive control and visibility of applications that it is able to identify using analysis and signature matching. Next generation firewalls can use whitelists or a signature-based IP addresses to distinguish between safe applications and unauthorised applications which may be attempting to access the systems and network and are then identified using SSL decryption.
What are the benefits of using a next generation firewall?
Next generation firewalls are able to potentially block malware from accessing a network. This is a process that traditional firewalls cannot achieve. Next generation firewalls are also equipped to address Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs).
In summary, next generation firewalls can provide a relatively low-cost option for companies looking to improve their basic security as they can provide a number of solutions in one framework and cover of the the work of antiviruses, firewalls, and other security applications.
If you wish to discuss next generation firewalls, get in touch with Sigma Cyber Security today! We are here to help!