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Understanding Firewalls

When anyone or anything can access your computer at any time, your computer is more susceptible to being attacked. You can restrict outside access to your computer and the information on it with a firewall.

What do firewalls do?

Firewalls provide protection against outside attackers by shielding your computer or network from malicious or unnecessary Internet traffic. Firewalls can be configured to block data from certain locations while allowing the relevant and necessary data through. They are especially important for users who rely on "always on" connections such as cable or DSL modems.

What type of firewall is best?

Firewalls are offered in three forms: basic hardware (external), software (internal) and Unified Threat Management, or Advanced hardware (external) firewall. While each has their advantages and disadvantages, you should choose the type of firewall depending on the value of the data in your organization and the cost of business interruption.

• Basic Hardware Router/Firewall - Typically called a router, these external devices are positioned between your computer or network and your cable or DSL modem. These can split your internet connection so that many wired and wireless users can share one internet connection. Many vendors and some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) offer devices called "routers" that also include very basic firewall features. Hardware-based router/firewalls are particularly useful for protecting multiple computers but also offer a degree of protection for a single computer. These router/firewalls sometimes have wireless transmitters to allow your office to have mobile PC systems. If you only have one computer behind the firewall and data of little value, you may not need the extra protection of a hardware firewall. Basic Hardware-based router/firewalls have the advantage of being separate devices running their own operating systems, so they provide an additional line of defense against simple internet attacks. Their major drawback is the simplistic protection. Many routers available for less than $75 and router/firewalls (with a bit more protection) are available for $100 to $200.
• Software Firewall - Some operating systems include a built-in firewall; if yours does, consider enabling it to add another layer of protection even if you have an external firewall. If you don't have a built-in firewall, you can obtain a software firewall for relatively little or no cost from your local computer store, software vendors, or ISP. Because of the risks associated with downloading software from the Internet onto an unprotected computer, it is best to install the firewall from a CD, DVD, or floppy disk. Software firewalls are the most unsophisticated and the most vulnerable to compromise and problems. Although relying on a software firewall alone does provide some basic protection, realize that having the firewall on the same computer as the information you're trying to protect may hinder the firewall's ability to catch malicious traffic before it enters your system.
• Advanced Hardware Firewall (external) with Unified Threat Management - A quality firewall will have several features not found in the two above basic firewall types. These advanced features protect you're your business, your information and your staff productivity, including features such as:
  • Protection that meets P.C.I. (Credit Card Processing), HIPPA and Sarbanes Oxley regulatory requirements.
  • Protection from hackers and Denial-of-Service attacks;
  • Blocking Trojan Spyware upload traffic
  • Virus filtering
  • Spyware filtering
  • Email Spam filtering
  • Blocking visits to websites that are known to be infected
  • Monitoring or blocking user website visits (for example, blocking gambling sites or time-wasting websites such as MySpace or Facebook).
  • Bandwidth Management - Allocation of internet upload and download speed to business functions - such as speeding "business" usage and slowing non-business usage such as watching videos or listening to music.
  • Block personal email accounts such as Yahoo Mail or Hotmail if using these are against company policies.
  • Remote access - work-from-home or remote office support with Virtual Private Networking.
  • Management Reporting - Reports of user activity such as time-wasting or shopping activity.
  Quality hardware firewalls provide a cost-effective management tool to protect your information, enhance staff productivity and improve your internet security. If your business has more than five employees and/or valuable data stored on its systems, installing an Advanced Hardware Firewall is standard industry practice.

How do you know what configuration settings to apply?

Most commercially available firewall products, both hardware- and software-based, come configured in a manner that is acceptably secure for most users. Since each firewall is different, you'll need to read and understand the documentation that comes with it in order to determine whether or not the default settings on your firewall are sufficient for your needs. InfoGuard can test your existing firewall or help you select the right one for your business. We know the holes that hackers exploit and we can help you close them.

Unfortunately, while properly configured firewalls may be effective at blocking some attacks, don't be lulled into a false sense of security. Although they do offer a certain amount of protection, firewalls do not guarantee that your computer will not be attacked. In particular, a firewall offers little to no protection against viruses that work by having you run the infected program on your computer, as many email-borne viruses do. However, using a firewall in conjunction with other protective measures (such as antivirus software and "safe" computing practices) will strengthen your resistance to attacks.

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