Understanding Firewalls and How They Keep You Safe

When you are using the internet for your work or personal use, you are susceptible to an attack. Hackers will try to find different ways to get access to sensitive information. Having a reliable firewall in place will help keep you protected. Being proactive when it comes to cyber security is key to keeping your business and employees safe.

What is a firewall?

When thinking about what a firewall is and how it works it’s best to think of it as a filter. The firewall filters out all data based on settings and rules you put in place regarding what you want coming in and going out. It acts as your first line of defense against potential attacks. Your firewall stops unnecessary or unwanted traffic and information from coming into your network or computer and causing harm. Firewalls can prevent malicious software from gaining accessing to your computer or network via the internet. They are set up to stop unwanted traffic from specific locations, applications, websites, or specific users. Firewalls can be a fantasist tool when used to their full ability.

Firewalls can either be a hardware or software. Regardless if it is a hardware or software a firewall is set up between your device and the internet. Both options for a firewall are great, it’s just figuring out what works best for your needs. Hardware tends to be the safer choice since it’s a separate device. The software versions of firewall are integrated right into the computer or operating systems. This can leave you slightly more susceptible to letting unwanted data through. Some routers now come with a simple firewall integrated into them to help keep you safe. This is a great option with many companies with remote workers or employees working from home.

Staying safe in today’s world

Firewalls are a necessity in today’s world if you want to keep your business and employees safe. They are simple to have an IT company manage and keep your firewall working and updated. Staying safe in the digital world can be challenging. Understand what tools and support you need is the best start for any business.