What Is a Firewall? Know Its Relevance and Utility

In a computer network, a firewall is installed to perform a number of tasks, including monitoring both incoming and outgoing traffic and thwarting intrusions to make a corporate network more secure and function seamlessly. To answer the question, "What is a firewall?" you have to get into the basics of its multiple functional roles in a network. This is basically a security device that provides safety to your network. You can install firewalls (as a device) in different formats. 

Mostly, the following types of firewalls are used to secure a network:

i. Hardware 

ii. Software 

iii. Software-as-a-service (SaaS) 

iv. Public cloud 

v. Private cloud (virtual).

The following functional abilities of this device can enable you to know what is firewall in a computer network:

i. This network security device follows the security rules set to protect the network. 

ii. Such network protection rules allow the firewall to: 

• Decide the transaction or movement of data packets. 

• Ascertain the specific nature of traffic (information and data packets: whether they are spam, viruses, or malware). 

• Make an independent and informed decision about whether to allow or block traffic to ensure the security of the network. 

iii. Constantly monitor network traffic: both incoming and outgoing. 

iv. Create a wall or barrier to foil attempts by a data packet or information that it considers untrustworthy.

Different Types of Firewalls

All types of firewalls are meant to secure your network. There are seven different types of firewalls that are installed for the total protection of a network. 

These firewalls are explained below:

i. Proxy Firewall: This particular type of device is deployed to act as a gateway from one network to another for a particular or specific application. This firewall is used to enable a network for a number of purposes, including additional security and content selection. It does so by forestalling direct connections from outside the given network.

ii. Stateful Inspection Firewall: A stateful inspection firewall is considered a traditional device that blocks or permits traffic or data packets based on: • State • Port • Protocol Such a firewall can monitor and filter all activity from the beginning point or opening of a connection until it is closed.

iii. UTM Firewall: Unified Threat Management or UTM firewall acts in a similar line to Stateful Inspection Firewall with the ability to provide extra security by thwarting intrusions and malware insertions. It also provides cloud management services.

iv. NGFW: The Next-generation Firewall (NGFW) is deployed by companies and corporations to block all threats, including pushing viruses and malware. It can also prevent application-layer attacks. Such a type of firewall inspects the traffic and also filters the data packets.

v. Threat-Focused NGFW: Such a type of firewall is a smart device and provides multiple services to stop network threats. Using advanced threat detection methods, it can react to attacks with smart security automation that sets policies to defend the network against any advanced methods of attacks.

vi. Virtual Firewall: It can function as a virtual appliance in a private cloud or public cloud. This acts as the key component in SDN (Software-Defined Networks). Such a firewall can monitor and secure traffic in both physical and virtual networks.

vii. Cloud Native Firewall: This is one of the latest ways to keep your network secured. It is an automated system firewall. You get scalability by deploying this type of firewall. Your network can gain high speed, a higher degree of security, and smart balancing.

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You can deploy firewalls in your networking system using both hardware and software. While hardware firewalls are deployed by using the physical device installed at the perimeter of a network, the software firewalls are installed onto either servers or computers at the perimeter of the network.

Conclusion

A firewall is a very intelligent device. Being multifunctional, this device can perform a host of duties to protect your network. Ever since its application began nearly 25 years ago, the firewall has been acting as the first line of defense in a network continually. Its applications are growing, and almost all networks now have a firewall installed for safety. At a time when the number of attempts to penetrate networks through malware and viruses is growing worldwide, the need for the installation of firewalls (network firewall and computer firewall) becomes almost a necessity. By installing a firewall, you can rest assured that there would not be any unauthorized penetration or attempts to push malware into your network.

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