If you are responsible for your Information Technology infrastructure, you are likely well aware that experts adamantly recommend that you put a strong firewall in place. In order to understand why this is so important, let’s first look at what a firewall actually is.

A firewall stands as a filter between your computer networks and the wild-west of the Internet. Firewalls permit administrators to moderate what can come and go in the network, providing security from both internal and external threats.

Anyone with a personal computer is familiar with the concept of installing a certain level of protection to stop cyber-criminals and hackers from stealing your identity or compromising your bank account.

The stakes are even higher with a business, and so your business needs a business grade firewall.

What is a Business Grade Firewall?

A business-grade firewall takes into account the complex layers, privacy levels, and data sensitivity of a business. It is necessarily more complicated than that of a personal computer and will look at and protect all levels of a business network.

Companies of all sizes would do well to research and invest in an appropriate firewall to protect their network and company security.

Here are some of the common characteristics of a firewall for business.

* A high-level firewall provides protection against hackers, utilizing built-in anti-spyware and anti-malware to protect network users. These functions protect against external threats intended to steal private data.

* Firewalls can also protect against internal threats. For instance, users may be blocked from visiting unauthorized websites and “goofing off” on company time.

* Firewalls permit your users to have a secure access while traveling or working from home.

Stay Vigilant

Threats and attacks occur on an ever-changing landscape. It is of vital importance that your firewall has access to updates, patches and fixes which will allow you to keep up with the latest threats.

Having a managed services contract which monitors the status not only of your firewall but of all service availability issues, is a great way to achieve peace of mind.

The sheer speed of technology trends and threats can become overwhelming and impossible to stay on top of in a vigilant manner.  You will either want to hire an in-house expert, or contract with a services firm who can track it for you.

Although either solution will cost you money, studies have shown that in 2018, you simply cannot afford to to ignore the protection of your business.

In fact, a leading report disclosed that 58% of malware attacks were against small businesses, causing an average loss of over $2.2 m. Not only should you make firewall protection a priority, but experts recommend that you make it your top budget priority.

What if All My Information is On The Cloud?

The cloud does protect in many ways, but it cannot completely shield your technical infrastructure from threats.

As an example, let’s say your data is safe in the cloud. However, your users at the office are still opening email, visiting websites, and engaging with many unknowns on the internet.

If your user becomes infected locally and connects to the secure cloud to access information, a malicious player may be able to intercept the data. The cloud is secure, but the computer accessing it is not.

While it is frustrating that we as the “good guys” have to continually protect ourselves in so many ways, it is the reality of doing business today.

Therefore, a multi-layered defense which includes backups, employee training, and a strong firewall is recommended.

But if all this intimidates you, never fear. The professionals at Alliance IT are here to answer any questions you may have – and to help you implement a firewall protection strategy that is effective and will grow with you.