8 Ways a Firewall Protects Your Business

The past few years has seen an alarming rise in the number of disastrous cyberattacks on businesses and government. Between 2019 and 2020, ransomware attacks rose by 62 percent worldwide, and 158 percent in North America alone. These distressing statistics are the reason your overall cybersecurity plan must include a managed business firewall.

But what exactly does a business firewall do? Here are 8 things your managed business firewall does to protect your business:

1. A Firewall Acts as a Barricade Against Hackers

Your internal network is vulnerable to hackers and unauthorized users who may attempt to access your confidential business information. A firewall protects your company data from malicious actors, and is your first line of defence in cybersecurity.

2. Protection Against Malicious Applications

One way hackers attempt to access a network is via a company’s unwitting employees, who may install what they think is a safe application, thus opening the door to your network. A business firewall will identify and block unsafe applications, and allow you to maintain a list of bad applications to be vigilant against.

3. Defend Against Unwanted Internet Traffic

A managed business firewall protects your business against worms, spam, viruses and unwanted internet traffic. They will block malevolent attempted logins and detect patterns of unauthorised attempts to access your network, allowing you to stay ahead of bad actors.

4. Allows You to Control Internet Access

A managed business firewall will allow you to block users from accessing designated external sites. You may decide that you don’t want to allow employees to access certain social media sites in order to keep a certain level of productivity at work. You can also block sites that make your network vulnerable.

 

5. Secure Remote Access

A managed business firewall can also serve as a Virtual Private Network (VPN), allowing your employees to safely access your network from remote locations. Remote work brings with it increased security risks, and protecting your network is critical.

6. Protection Against Spyware

Not all hacks are designed to take down a network; some cybercriminals want to hack your system to spy on your business. They want to access your data, particularly your financial data or that of your customers. A managed business firewall protects against spyware.

7. Protection Against Ransomware

Ransomware is a type of malware that takes over your network and threatens to expose your data if a ransom isn’t paid. The biggest ransomware attack in the US paralyzed millions of businesses demanding between $45,000 and $5 million per business. Your managed business firewall is your first line of defense against this growing threat.

8. An Additional Layer of Security

A solid, comprehensive cybersecurity is often described as being like an onion, with layers and layers of protection for your business. A managed business firewall is your first, critical layer of defense.

Your managed business firewall is an important element to your overall cyber security strategy. If you don’t have a security expert on staff, 3RT can help you develop an effective cybersecurity strategy and implement a managed business firewall to protect your network. We know it is critical that we understand your organization, and its challenges and objectives. We have experience with increasing security, productivity, and profitability for our diversified customer base, including construction, banking, government, healthcare, and manufacturing industries, along with K12 -higher education.

Learn more about how 3RT can keep your business safe with a managed business firewall.