5 Benefits of Firewall Protection for Businesses
Advancements in internet technology have significantly improved business efficiency around the world, with many brands depending on various web-based tools to run their daily operations. Staff from all around the world can collaborate better through cloud-based solutions.
However, the higher dependence on the internet also means that businesses are more exposed to the risk of data breaches and cyberattacks. Solutions like firewall technology provide a layer of protection that helps businesses to avoid becoming victims.
Businesses relying on managed IT services by Herrod Technology have robust firewall protection. This article will discuss the benefits of firewall protection for businesses.
What Is a Firewall?
A firewall is a network security solution that monitors incoming and outgoing traffic and creates a barrier between your private network and the outside world. The firewall structure may comprise hardware and software elements.
Hardware firewall solutions sit in front of your network infrastructure, blocking threats before they can reach your network.
Software firewalls sit on network-connected devices and act as a second line of defense against any threats that might make it past your hardware firewall solution.
A robust firewall solution featuring both types of firewalls will inspect every bit of data moving across your business network. It will stop all malicious or illegitimate entries into the network.
The Benefits of Firewall Protection
Some of the top advantages of firewall solutions include the following:
1. Network Traffic Monitoring
As we touched on briefly above, a firewall monitors network traffic for any bit of strange or malicious data. The firewall system will separate normal data from malicious data using pre-established parameters and filters set by your IT team. The team can tighten or loosen the filtering parameters depending on what the situation demands.
2. Protection Against Cyber Attackers
A firewall is one of the best ways to prevent hackers from accessing your network and critical data. Businesses around the world have to evade attacks from cyber criminals around the clock.
The complexity of most business systems means that criminals have more loopholes to exploit—far more than you know. Thus, a firewall is your first line of defense against malware or spyware.
Without a firewall in place, bad actors can install malware that can help them achieve any range of goals they desire, including:
- Keylogging (to uncover critical passwords and messages)
- Spying on your business for the competition
- Bandwidth clogging (to make it harder for your employees to work)
Firewalls improve your network security by making it harder for unauthorized personnel to break in. A cybercriminal who encounters a robust firewall system will most likely move on to other low-hanging fruits instead of expending energy on trying to break through it.
Since firewalls can learn and remember malicious code, businesses using up-to-date firewall systems can learn from the “misfortune” of other businesses by making sure they are not vulnerable to any popular threats or common exploits.
3. Better Management of Internet Usage
In the ultra-connected lifestyle we lead today, it takes discipline to ignore distractions. Thus, many organizations have to explore ways to avoid productivity drops due to distracted employees.
A few minutes going through social media and emails or following up on interesting stories can add up. Some employees spend up to 40 work hours per month surfing the web during work hours.
How much money will you lose to paying for unproductivity, assuming 10-50% of your employees do the same?
With a firewall in place, you can decide what websites your employees can or can’t access on your network.
For example, limiting access to social media will most certainly increase productivity by reducing the temptation to check on social feeds, enabling employees to spend more time doing their jobs.
This approach works best if you already have a policy against mobile phone usage during work hours. That way, your employees can’t just pull out their phones to use social media on their private networks.
4. Improved Bandwidth Control
IT management teams must monitor the network bandwidth in the workplace to avoid downtime.
Businesses without a robust firewall will have a harder time managing network usage, leading to employees struggling to complete their work over the network. The frustration that comes with waiting for data can hamper productivity—even after the network returns to normal.
When too many people are using the network unnecessarily, it can slow down important business processes.
With a firewall, IT teams can limit the bandwidth used for activities that will not contribute to your bottom line.
So, the firewall can help limit how much bandwidth goes to listening to music while working, looking up mood boards on Pinterest, downloading YouTube or Netflix videos, and more. That way, other employees won’t have to wait minutes to access documents from the cloud or to use important business software.
5. Reduced Risk of Network Breach Through Remote Employees
Businesses are more dependent on remote employees than ever before. With remote workers, you have a wider pool of talent to choose from. However, having remote workers on your network makes network security more challenging.
Cybercriminals can exploit the connection between your server and your remote employees without a firewall. On the other hand, an effective firewall system can secure that connection, preventing unwanted access to the data passed between you and your remote employees.
Find the Perfect Firewall Solution for Your Business
Now that you understand the benefits of firewall systems for businesses, you can see why it is essential for you to have a firewall solution that specifically addresses your business needs and covers all vulnerabilities.
At Herrod Technology, we offer managed firewall services as a part of a broader cybersecurity strategy.
We can install, manage, and monitor your firewalls, allowing you to focus on growing your bottom line. We tailor our solutions to match the unique demands of your network architecture and also provide ongoing reporting to help you keep tabs on the efficacy of your firewall strategy.
Schedule a consultation with the Herrod Technology team today to further discuss the benefits of firewall systems or to set up your custom solution.
