𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬

𝖴𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗋𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝖽𝗏𝖺𝗇𝗍𝖺𝗀𝖾𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾𝗐𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗌𝖾𝖼𝗎𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗒 𝗂𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝗂𝗋𝗌𝗍 𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗉 𝗍𝗈𝗐𝖺𝗋𝖽 𝖺𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗉𝖺𝗇𝗒’𝗌 𝗌𝖺𝖿𝖾 𝗀𝗋𝗈𝗐𝗍𝗁 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋-𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖽𝗂𝗀𝗂𝗍𝖺𝗅 𝖺𝗀𝖾. 𝖤𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝗂𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗉𝖺𝗇𝗒 𝗈𝗇𝗅𝗒 𝗎𝗌𝖾𝗌 𝗍𝖾𝖼𝗁𝗇𝗈𝗅𝗈𝗀𝗒 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗇𝖾𝗍𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗄𝗌 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖺 𝗌𝗆𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗈𝖿 𝗂𝗍𝗌 𝗈𝗉𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌, 𝗂𝗍 𝗂𝗌 𝖼𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗅 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗉𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝗄𝖾𝖾𝗉 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗌 𝗌𝖾𝖼𝗎𝗋𝖾. 𝖥𝗂𝗋𝖾𝗐𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗌 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝗂𝗋𝗌𝗍 𝗅𝗂𝗇𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝖽𝖾𝖿𝖾𝗇𝗌𝖾 𝖺𝗀𝖺𝗂𝗇𝗌𝗍 𝖾𝗑𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗇𝖺𝗅 𝗍𝗁𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗌, 𝗆𝖺𝗅𝗐𝖺𝗋𝖾, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗁𝖺𝖼𝗄𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖺𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗆𝗉𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗈 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝖾𝗌𝗌 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖽𝖺𝗍𝖺 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗌𝗒𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗆𝗌.

1. Monitors Network Traffic – The ability to monitor network traffic is the foundation of all firewall security benefits. Data flowing into and out of your systems opens the door for threats to compromise your operations. Firewalls protect your systems by monitoring and analyzing network traffic and applying predefined rules and filters. You can manage your levels of protection based on what you see coming in and out of your firewall with a well-trained IT team.
2. Stops Virus Attacks– Nothing can bring your digital operations to a halt faster or more forcefully than a virus attack. With hundreds of thousands of new threats being developed every day, it is critical that you put safeguards in place to keep your systems safe. The ability to control your system’s entry points and stop virus attacks is one of the most visible benefits of firewalls. Depending on the type of virus, the cost of damage from a virus attack on your systems could be immeasurable.
3. Prevents Hacking–  Unfortunately, the trend toward more digital operations invites thieves and bad actors to follow suit. With the rise of data theft and criminals holding systems hostage, firewalls have become even more important in preventing hackers from gaining unauthorized access to your data, emails, systems, and other resources. A firewall can either completely stop a hacker or deter them from attempting an easier target.
4. Stops Spyware– Stopping spyware from gaining access and infiltrating your systems is a much-needed benefit in today’s data-driven world. As systems become more complex and robust, the number of entry points criminals can use to gain access to your systems grows. One of the most common ways for unauthorized people to gain access is through the use of spyware and malware—programs designed to infiltrate your systems, control your computers, and steal your data. Firewalls provide an important barrier against these malicious programs.
5. Promotes Privacy– The promotion of privacy is a major advantage. By working proactively to keep your data and your customers’ data safe, you create a privacy environment that your clients can rely on. Nobody wants their data stolen, especially when steps could have been taken to prevent the intrusion.Upgraded data-protection systems can also provide a competitive advantage and a selling point to customers and clients. The benefit grows as your company’s data becomes more sensitive.

How to use firewall protection

Proper firewall configuration and maintenance are critical for keeping your network and devices secure. Here are some pointers to help you with your firewall network security practices:

1. Always update your firewalls as soon as possible: Firmware and software updates keep your firewall up to date on new vulnerabilities. Personal and home firewall users can usually update immediately without risk. Larger organizations may need to check network configuration and compatibility first. However, everyone should have procedures in place to ensure that updates are made as soon as possible.

2. Use antivirus protection: Firewalls are not designed to prevent malware and other infections on their own. These may bypass firewall protections, necessitating the use of a security solution designed to disable and remove them. Kaspersky Total Security can protect you across all of your personal devices, and our numerous business security solutions can protect any network hosts you want to keep clean.

3. Limit accessible ports and hosts with an allow list: Inbound traffic should be denied by default. Inbound and outbound connections should be limited to a strict whitelist of trusted IP addresses. Reduce user access privileges to the absolute minimum. It is easier to maintain security by allowing access only when necessary rather than revoking and mitigating damage after an incident.

4. Segmented network revoking: Malicious actors’ lateral movement is a clear risk that can be mitigated by limiting internal cross-communication

5. Have active network redundancies to avoid downtime Maintain active network redundancy to avoid downtime.