A firewall is a network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. It functions as a barrier or gateway, managing web activity and preventing unauthorized access, hacking, identity theft, malware, and online fraud. Firewalls can take various forms, including hardware, software, or cloud-based solutions, and are essential for establishing a secure barrier between internal networks and external threats.
Firewalls have evolved through various generations, from basic proxy firewalls to more advanced forms like stateful inspection, unified threat management (UTM), next-generation firewalls (NGFW), and cloud-native firewalls. They filter traffic based on criteria such as source, destination, content, and protocols, thereby protecting networks and endpoint devices by only allowing safe traffic to pass through.
The use of firewalls offers significant security advantages:
Firewalls can be broadly categorized into software and hardware types, each with unique features and functionalities. Some common types include:
To implement an effective firewall strategy, follow these key steps:
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