A business firewall protects users against attacks from compromised websites they might genuinely need for work, through intrusion prevention. Even government websites and the New York Times have been compromised by hackers. Sometimes there is not much you can do to stop an attack, since no security solution can be 100% effective against zero-day attacks (brand new attacks no one has seen before), but a vigilant company that invests in network security can stop the overwhelming majority of attacks. Since the average cost of a data breach runs well into the millions according to research from IBM and the Ponemon Institute, preventing an attack is in every company’s best interest.
PCI Compliance and Business Firewall Requirements
The most important thing to remember about a firewall solution is that any company accepting credit cards needs one in place, period. PCI compliance requires not just having a firewall, but having one properly configured to protect customers from an attack. Leaving a firewall on its default login and rules is a great way to waste that investment, since keeping the factory settings means you never really configured the device. A firewall is not the only element required for compliance, but it is a major piece of the puzzle, and other regulatory agencies may require one to protect sensitive data, so check with your industry to see what applies to you.
Firewalls Do More Than Block Attacks
Firewalls are a key part of network security because they update faster than traditional antivirus solutions (though antivirus is still worth having too) and can protect multiple pieces of IT infrastructure at once. It is common to protect several servers, or even an entire office, with a single firewall. Deep packet inspection, where all traffic gets fully scanned and decrypted, keeps out attackers who might slip past other defenses. It does add some latency, but the added security is worth it for nearly every industry. The traditional security benefits are not the only draw either, since the add-on services often matter just as much. Content filtering lets employees manage and block types of websites to cut down on workplace distraction, and it can also lock out inappropriate content that has no place in the business. Application control lets administrators block or restrict access to undesired applications, such as messengers or BitTorrent clients.
What to Know Before You Buy a Business Firewall
So what should you know before getting a firewall? Start with what, if anything, you already have in place. Many firewall vendors offer competitive promotions to displace older security hardware, so if you have an older firewall today, mention that to your sales team so they can offer the upgrade SKU, which usually includes discounted subscription services such as content filtering and application control. When scoping a firewall for your organization, it helps to know how many users will be on your network at any given time. Using an entry-level firewall for a load of 1,000+ users will effectively DDoS your own system, so let us know your expected peak-day user count, not your average.
Vault Networks has relationships with key vendors in network security, such as Fortinet and Dell, and can procure firewalls to secure your IT infrastructure in our data center. This applies to colocation services, dedicated private cloud, and our vnCloud servers. To learn more about how a business firewall can protect your business, reach out to us by calling (305) 735-8098 option 2 or by emailing sales@vaultnetworks.com.