Firewall
What is Firewall?
A firewall is a network security system, either hardware- or software-based, that uses rules to control incoming and outgoing network traffic.
A firewall acts as a barrier between a trusted network and and an untrusted network. A firewall controls access to the resources of a network through a positive control model. This means that the only traffic allowed onto the network is defined in the firewall policy; all other traffic is denied.
Types of Firewall:
- Software Firewall
- Hardware Firewall
Software Firewall
here are two main advantages that software firewalls have over hardware ones. The first is that software firewalls can monitor outgoing data traffic. Not only does this prevent a computer from becoming a bot or a zombie, but also it can prevent computers from broadcasting any other malware, such as worms or computer viruses.
The other advantage is that software firewalls are customizable. These programs can be adjusted to meet the needs of the user, such as if they need permissions to be eased up while they’re online gaming or watching an online video.
However, the main disadvantage to software firewalls is that they only protect one computer. Every computer must have its own licensed firewall product. On the other hand, a hardware firewall can protect every computer attached to it.
The other advantage is that software firewalls are customizable. These programs can be adjusted to meet the needs of the user, such as if they need permissions to be eased up while they’re online gaming or watching an online video.
However, the main disadvantage to software firewalls is that they only protect one computer. Every computer must have its own licensed firewall product. On the other hand, a hardware firewall can protect every computer attached to it.
Hardware Firewall
Hardware firewalls are systems that are independent of the computers they protect that filter the Internet as information passes into a computer. Most broadband Internet routers have their own firewall built in.
In general, hardware firewalls work by examining the data that flows in from the Internet and verifying whether that information is safe. Simple firewalls, known as packet filters, examine the data itself for information such as its location and its source. Then the information the firewall gathers is compared to a set list of permissions in order to determine whether the information should be dropped or allowed through. As hardware firewalls have become more advanced, they have gained the ability to examine more information.
These types of firewalls have their benefits for home and small businesses because they require little to no set-up, and multiple nodes (computers) can be protected from patching into the same router.
However, the major drawback to typical home-use hardware firewalls is the fact that they only examine the data that is coming in to a computer, and not the data leaving a computer. A person may ask, “Isn’t that the point?” In a way, yes. But oftentimes, malicious software is sent through the Internet disguised in a Trojan horse. The “wrapping” of the data may seem to appear to come from a reliable source, but imbedded into the coding may be the damaging software. Also, some attacks may end in the target computer becoming a zombie or a computer bot, which then begins to broadcast data on a grand scale. Because a hardware firewall does not detect the outgoing information, it won’t consider the rise in traffic or its content.
In general, hardware firewalls work by examining the data that flows in from the Internet and verifying whether that information is safe. Simple firewalls, known as packet filters, examine the data itself for information such as its location and its source. Then the information the firewall gathers is compared to a set list of permissions in order to determine whether the information should be dropped or allowed through. As hardware firewalls have become more advanced, they have gained the ability to examine more information.
These types of firewalls have their benefits for home and small businesses because they require little to no set-up, and multiple nodes (computers) can be protected from patching into the same router.
However, the major drawback to typical home-use hardware firewalls is the fact that they only examine the data that is coming in to a computer, and not the data leaving a computer. A person may ask, “Isn’t that the point?” In a way, yes. But oftentimes, malicious software is sent through the Internet disguised in a Trojan horse. The “wrapping” of the data may seem to appear to come from a reliable source, but imbedded into the coding may be the damaging software. Also, some attacks may end in the target computer becoming a zombie or a computer bot, which then begins to broadcast data on a grand scale. Because a hardware firewall does not detect the outgoing information, it won’t consider the rise in traffic or its content.
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