Page 52 - Security Today, April 2019

Managed Firewall Services Are they right for you?
BAy Rich Aycock
s cybercrime continues to plague companies of all sizes, across all industries both public and private, we wanted to take this opportunity to explore options that can help protect your data and your business. We are often asked whether “Security as a Service” is the
right option for many organizations. In this case, we are tackling the topic of managed firewalls versus a self-administered solution. Before we get there, however, let’s take a brief look at the history of network firewalls and how to determine which type may be best for you.
History of Network Firewalls
Simply put, a network firewall is a system or group of systems used to control access between two networks—a trusted network and an un- trusted network—using pre-configured rules or filters. Firewalls can be comprised of a single router, multiple routers, a single host sys- tem or multiple hosts running firewall software, hardware appliances specifically designed to provide firewall services, or any combination of the above. They vary greatly in design, functionality, architecture, and cost. They are also sometimes known as a Border Protection De- vice (BPD) where the firewall separates networks by creating perim- eter networks in a DMZ “Demilitarized Zone.”
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Network firewalls have been around almost as long as the internet itself, first emerging in the late 1980s in response to a number of in- ternet security breaches.
Over the years they have gone through numerous iterations, starting with packet-level filter firewalls developed in 1988 by Digi- tal Equipment Corporation, later evolving to circuit-level firewalls. The current generation, often referred to as Next-Generation Fire- walls (NGFW) combines the attributes of the previous versions but expanded to include other network device filtering functionalities, such as application-level firewalls incorporating deep packet inspec- tion (DPI), intrusion prevention systems (IPS), stateful inspection, identity awareness and the ability to use external intelligence sources to identify and help stop potential breaches. In some instances, they may also have anti-virus capabilities.
Who Should Use Firewalls?
The short answer is every company and organization in business to- day should be using some type of firewall, including small and even home-based businesses. The hackers of days gone by may have been savvy teenagers showing off their digital prowess or the lone wolf try- ing to break into networks by attacking passwords. Today, many of
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