MSPNetworks Blog

As the threat landscape gets more concentrated with serious cyberthreats, new next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) have been developed to help stem the tide of negative outcomes that result from cyberattacks. An NGFW is an advanced network security device or software solution that combines traditional firewall capabilities with additional features and functionalities designed to provide enhanced protection and visibility into network traffic. NGFWs are designed to address the evolving and sophisticated nature of cyberthreats, including malware, intrusion attempts, and other malicious activities.

Key Features of NGFWs

• Application Awareness - These new firewalls can identify and control applications and services at the application layer. This allows them to make access decisions based on the specific applications or services being used, rather than just IP addresses and port numbers.
• Intrusion Prevention System - NGFWs often incorporate intrusion prevention capabilities, which help detect and prevent known and unknown threats by inspecting traffic for malicious patterns and signatures.
• User and Identity Awareness - These firewalls can associate network traffic with specific users or devices, enabling user-based policies and monitoring.
• Content Filtering - NGFWs can filter web content to block or allow specific types of websites, ensuring that organizations can enforce acceptable use policies and protect against malicious content.
• Advanced Threat Protection - Many NGFWs include features like antivirus, anti-malware, and sandboxing to detect and block advanced threats, including zero-day attacks.
• VPN Support - NGFWs often support Virtual Private Network (VPN) functionality, allowing secure remote access and site-to-site connectivity.
• Security Intelligence - Incorporating threat intelligence feeds and databases to keep up with emerging threats, NGFWs can update their security policies accordingly.
• Granular Control - Administrators can define granular policies for network traffic, specifying what is allowed and what is denied, based on various attributes such as application, user, content type, and more.
• Logging and Reporting - NGFWs offer robust logging and reporting capabilities to provide visibility into network activities, which can aid in incident response and compliance reporting.
• Scalability and Performance - NGFWs are designed to handle high volumes of traffic and offer scalable performance to accommodate the needs of large enterprises.

NGFWs are a crucial component of modern network security infrastructure, helping organizations protect their networks and data from a wide range of threats while maintaining control and visibility over network traffic. That is why it is so important to keep your firewalls, next-gen or not, updated with the latest threat definitions to ensure that you are getting the stated value out of it.

If you would like to learn more about outfitting your business with NGFWs, give the IT professionals at MSPNetworks a call today at (516) 403-9001.

Businesses have a lot of data to protect and it’s not so simple as implementing a catch-all solution that can keep your data secure. In fact, it takes several solutions working in tandem to maximize data security. We recommend a combination of a unified threat management tool, a Bring Your Own Device policy, and a virtual private network solution. Let’s take a longer look at them:

Unified Threat Management

A unified threat management tool consists of several security solutions wrapped into one. They include the following:

• Firewall: A firewall looks at the data flowing in and out of a network to keep any threats from passing.
• Antivirus: If a threat manages to sneak past the firewall, an antivirus solution can identify and eliminate it.
• Spam blocker: Email is one of the more susceptible business solutions to attack, but a spam blocker can keep these messages from being threats and wastes of time by keeping them out of the inbox in the first place.
• Content filter: Content filters keep employees from accessing dangerous or time-wasting websites throughout the workday.

All of this combines to form a comprehensive security tool that can significantly decrease the odds of being infiltrated by the myriad of threats out there.

Bring Your Own Device

Businesses need to be wary of mobile devices in the workplace, as they can become a bridge between online threats and your organization’s network if left unprotected. This is why we recommend that all businesses implement a BYOD policy that employees must adhere to in order to use their personal devices for work purposes. A proper BYOD policy should prioritize security through a mobile device management system that whitelists and blacklists applications, as well as provides the option to remotely wipe the devices should the need arise.

Virtual Private Networks

Virtual private networks, also known as VPNs, are particularly helpful for businesses that have devices out of the office that still need access to important data. A VPN acts as an encrypted tunnel, connecting your employees to important data in a secure environment. This keeps onlookers from stealing any data while it’s moving about, and it’s invaluable for organizations with many moving parts.

MSPNetworks can help your business get its security options in gear. To learn more, reach out to us at (516) 403-9001.