10 Things You Should Know About Your Firewall

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A cybersecurity strategy is incomplete without a ransom ware firewall. Even though you are a microbusiness with a simple website, you are not immune to cyberattacks. Most small businesses and even mid-size businesses think that hackers won’t target them because they are not big or have nothing sensitive in their databases.

Unfortunately, hackers target small and medium businesses more than large businesses because of the lack of cybersecurity measures. The tendency to overlook the cybersecurity aspect of small businesses makes them more vulnerable to cyber threats and cybercrime than ever. As a result, a firewall is a must to implement as a ransom ware cybersecurity measure.

Though several brands offer firewalls, not all of them are created equal. If you are planning to buy firewalls to protect your business network, make sure your firewall has the following features:

Freedom to Control Application Access

When employees access the Internet, controlling which applications they use can be challenging. A firewall offers the easiest way to manage this.

Firewalls allow access to productivity-enhancing applications while blocking those that waste time or threaten your data and network security. Instead of checking systems manually or writing custom scripts, you can create firewall policies to control application access automatically.

Allocate Bandwidth to High-Priority Applications

A firewall helps manage bandwidth based on the applications in use. For example, if one employee is browsing the web and another is in a live meeting, the firewall prioritizes bandwidth for the meeting.

This ensures that high-priority tasks run smoothly. Delays while browsing or reading emails have minimal impact, but interruptions during a meeting can cause miscommunication and harm your business image.

Block Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Applications

P2P applications let devices share files without servers, often used to download unlicensed media. These apps waste bandwidth, transmit malware, and reduce productivity.

Blocking every P2P app manually is difficult since they evolve constantly. Advanced firewalls, however, receive regular updates and block new P2P apps effectively.

Control Access to Social Media and Unproductive Platforms

Many employees use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, which can reduce productivity. Firewalls allow you to block these platforms or restrict specific features.

For instance, your marketing team might need access to social media but doesn’t need Facebook Games. A firewall can block games while allowing essential activities like chats or posts.

Visualize Network Activity

A firewall provides real-time insight into your network. It shows application traffic, user behavior, and non-compliant activities, helping you identify bottlenecks and optimize bandwidth.

Manage Bandwidth for Specific Users

Firewalls allow you to apply custom policies to user groups. For example, if your CEO needs unrestricted YouTube access, you can lift bandwidth limits for specific users without affecting others.

Protect Against Ransomware and Cyberattacks

A high-quality firewall guards against ransomware, spyware, and breaches by blocking known and unknown threats. It prevents malicious attempts from infiltrating your business network.

Detect Botnet Activity and Foreign Connections

Advanced firewalls can distinguish between benign browsing and malicious botnet activity. Using GeoIP technology, they identify traffic by country, enabling you to block risky connections.

Filter Emails and Web Traffic to Prevent Data Leaks

Outbound emails and webmail services, like Gmail, can pose security risks if not monitored. A firewall ensures confidential data stays protected by filtering both email content and web traffic.

Manage Audio and Video Streaming Bandwidth

Platforms like YouTube and Spotify can serve useful purposes but are often overused. Instead of blocking them entirely, firewalls let you limit the bandwidth for streaming. This ensures other tasks aren’t disrupted by excessive media consumption.