IT security tools continue to advance at a rapid pace, as the industry races to stem the tide of cyberattacks. A new class of threat detection solutions uses real-time data analytics to spot malware and suspicious behavior older systems might miss. There are emerging tools with artificial intelligence capabilities that can automatically detect and respond to security threats.
Given the sophistication of these security solutions, one might think that firewalls are no longer needed. Firewalls are old-school security tools that sit at the network perimeter and block malicious traffic from entering.
However, a survey of IT security professionals at the recent RSA Conference found that a properly configured firewall forms the foundation for effective security. According to 72 percent of survey respondents, you can spend as much money as you want on IT security but it’s wasted if your firewall isn’t configured properly. Another 52 percent said that firewall configuration errors had opened security holes that resulted in downtime for their organizations.
A firewall is not a “set-and-forget” solution. Firewall policies and access controls must be updated regularly as network configurations change, applications are added and more devices need access. In addition, the firewall itself must be kept up-to-date with the latest security patches as new threats emerge. Failure to maintain the firewall increases the risk of a security breach and regulatory compliance violations.
However, firewall management traditionally has been a time-consuming process that requires dedicated resources and expertise. That’s because most older firewalls are configured using complex, vendor-specific protocols that are entered into the device itself, with significant risk of errors.
Luckily, there are firewall solutions available today that are far simpler for small to midsize businesses (SMBs) to manage. We recommend WatchGuard’s Firebox network security appliances, ranging from tabletop models for organizations with five to 35 users, to enterprise-class products for corporate data centers and distributed enterprises. The capabilities of the Firebox appliance are also available in virtualized and cloud-based platforms.
In addition to providing state-of-the-art security features, Firebox is easy to support and maintain thanks to WatchGuard Dimension, a comprehensive suite of cloud-based network visibility and management services. Dimension provides one web-based interface for all WatchGuard appliances, making it simple to establish security policies, change configurations and generate reports.
For organizations that would rather leave security to the experts, Verteks can provide firewall administration as part of our managed services offering. The Verteks team will configure the firewall to guard against malware and other threats, and set policies for network access and file sharing. We will also take on responsibility for monitoring your firewall and keeping it up-to-date to ensure that it’s capable of identifying and stopping emerging threats.
Security is a top concern for every organization but it requires significant resources to maintain. Even large enterprises with IT security professionals on staff sometimes struggle to keep their firewalls up-to-date. Smaller organizations simply don’t have the budget to hire specialists to make complex configuration changes.
Verteks can help you implement cost-efficient tools that provide robust security with minimal operational headaches. Whether you manage it in-house or rely on our team, a WatchGuard security appliance will provide advanced protection against the latest threats.
