In our previous Defense In Depth blog, we talked about the first layer in our Layered Security Strategy: The importance of endpoint protection and security. In this blog, we’ll cover all things related to next-generation firewalls (NGFWs).
The cybersecurity industry is constantly evolving. With the rise of sophisticated cyberattacks, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to protect businesses from malicious actors. That being said, it’s crucial that businesses stay updated with the latest cybersecurity solutions to ensure they stay ahead of the curve. Enter next-generation firewalls (NGFWs).
In this article, we will go in-depth into what NGFWs are, why they are important, and how it can benefit businesses and their IT infrastructure.
What Are Next-Generation Firewalls?
So, what exactly are NGFWs? Simply put, NGFWs are an enhanced version of traditional firewalls designed to provide additional layers of security. They protect your business through detecting and blocking not only malicious network packets, but also potentially harmful applications or protocols. By leveraging deep packet inspection, NGFWs can scrutinize the content of network traffic, allowing organizations to implement more granular security policies.
NGFWs also incorporate additional security functionalities such as IPS, antivirus, and ATP. These features help organizations defend against a wide range of threats, including malware, viruses, and zero-day attacks.
Another key aspect of NGFWs is that their support for threat intelligence feeds and integrates with SIEM systems. By leveraging these capabilities, organizations can stay updated with the latest threat intelligence, receive alerts, and take automated remedial actions when potential security incidents occur.
As the second layer of our Layered Security Strategy, it’s easy to understand why NGFWs are critical to your IT infrastructure.
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Why Are Next-Generation Firewalls Important?
Put simply, NGFWs are important because they provide better visibility of the traffic flowing through a network. Traditional firewalls are limited to only identifying ports, protocols, and IP addresses – which is not enough in today’s cybersecurity landscape.
Unlike traditional firewalls, NGFWs can identify the actual application layer of the traffic, which provides a more accurate picture of what’s happening on the network. This gives businesses more control over what traffic enters and leaves their network, allowing organizations to set up policies based on specific criteria such as application, user, or device – helping to enforce security across the entire network and implement a zero-trust approach to network security.
Benefits Of Next-Generation Firewalls
Apart from the added security features, NGFWs can also offer tremendous benefits to businesses. Because NGFWs can identify the applications that are being used on the network, it allows businesses to optimize bandwidth usage by prioritizing certain types of traffic. This means that critical applications, such as VoIP or email services, can be given priority over non-essential traffic like social media or gaming apps. This can result in better network performance and improved productivity.
NGFWs also come with an array of management tools that allow IT teams to better manage their network. This includes centralized management, reporting, and even automated threat response tools. In addition, some NGFWs are cloud-based, which means they can be maintained and updated remotely – freeing up IT teams’ time and resources.
In conclusion, NGFWs offer a comprehensive and proactive approach to network security, combining traditional firewall functionalities with advanced threat prevention capabilities. These solutions are designed to address the security challenges posed by the increasing sophistication of cyber threats, safeguarding organizations’ critical assets, and ensuring a secure and resilient network infrastructure. Investing in an NGFW will not only provide a good ROI, but will also give you peace of mind – which is priceless.
If you’d like to learn more about NGFWs or our managed firewall services, please contact us by calling (502) 204-0404 or emailing info@mirazon.com.