A Simple Guide to a Firewall
A firewall is a security tool that protects your network from harmful traffic on the internet. Hardware, software, or a combination of both can contain firewalls. The firewall checks the information that is entered or leaves the network and makes a decision that tells you whether the access is blocked or not. It protects your network from all kinds of online threats and unauthorized access. Firewalls filter out your traffic and block harmful data from your network. You can use firewalls for data protection anywhere, whether at home or in offices. This blog will provide all the details of firewalls that a guide must have. How does a firewall function, and what is its importance?
What is Firewall?
Just like from the word “firewall,” we can say that a wall helps to stop the fire from spreading; just like that, the network security firewall protects and stops all the online harmful threats from entering your private network. It acts like a wall that inspects your web traffic and shows you results based on it. If the traffic is harmful, it will not allow you access, and if it is safe, you can easily access it.
What is the Working of the Firewall?
As mentioned previously, that firewall decides which data is safe and which is not safe for your network. It blocks malicious traffic. There are rules through which a firewall decides whether specific data needs to be blocked or not. The rules rely on the IP addresses, website domain, connection types, ports, and keywords.
What Are the Types of Firewalls?
Now that you know what a firewall is, the following are the types of firewalls used for filtering.
Packet Filtering Firewall
Packet Filtering The firewall checks the data packets that are coming in and going out of the network and must follow the firewall criteria. On checking the packet header, whether it is following the rules of the firewall or not. It determines which packet should be blocked and which should allow access.
Stateful Inspection Firewall
A stateful inspection firewall tracks the active network connections, and the data when entering the network has any risk. It works on the OSI model’s network and transport layer. Also, it checks the data transmission from one device to another to check that the data received and sent is from the trusted network. Additionally, it uses TCP handshakes and packet filtering to inspect harmful traffic.
Proxy Firewall
Proxy firewalls work in the application layer of the OSI model, which is the seventh layer. When you, from the client-server, visit a website, it does not directly open up on your screen. Proxy Firewall first checks if the connection is secure, and then the request is forwarded to the server. Now you can see the website at your end.
Circuit Level Firewall
A circuit-level gateway is a type of firewall that does not check the internal content of the data packets; it only checks the connection. It inspects that data packets are using the protocols of TCP or UDP. If the connection is from a trusted source, it allows it; otherwise, it blocks it based on firewall rules.
Next-Gen Firewall
Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) uses all the security features, including DPI, which is Deep Packet Inspection, which not only checks the connection’s security but also what type of data is inside the packets. If there is data that contains malware, it blocks it. Moreover, it uses TCP handshake and surface-level packet inspection, which just inspects the essential details of data. Also uses an Intrusion Prevention System, which blocks harmful attacks instantly.
Types of Firewalls with Implementation Methods
There are three main types of firewalls based on delivery methods:
1. Software-based Firewalls
Software-based firewalls are great to use at a personal level. You can easily install it on your device like any other application or software you install on your device. However, it is not ideal for enterprise networks, due to the difficulty in managing software firewalls on more than one device. It will be time-consuming. Also, not all devices are compatible with every software.
2. Hardware-based Firewalls
It’s a physical device, like a router; these devices block all the malicious traffic from your network. First, the source of data packets is checked when it is confirmed that packets are following the rules of firewalls and data is secured. This data is sent to the hardware device of the firewall, and then the device sends the data to your server, phone, computer, or another gadget you are using. This is mainly used by larger organizations.
3. Cloud-based Firewalls
Cloud-based firewalls are hosted on the cloud and do not use any physical device. This type of firewall is also known as Firewall as a Service (FWaaS). The cloud service provider manages all the updates and security of the firewall-related things. Businesses can easily manage firewalls online, with no need to install software in the system or any hardware device.
Types of Firewalls Based on How They Function
There are two types of firewalls based on how they operate:
1. Host-based Firewall
The host-based firewall is installed on one device and not on the entire network. An example of it is the Windows Firewall, which is used to protect the whole device from harmful viruses. It blocks all unauthorized access running on your computer. However, it will only protect the device it is installed on and no other devices connected to the same wireless network.
2. Network-based Firewall
A network-based firewall protects the entire network, not just one device. It can be software that can be installed on your computer or a hardware device. It tracks all the incoming and outgoing data closely and blocks it if there’s any malware present in the network. These firewalls are effective and difficult to configure.
Advantages of Firewalls
Traffic Inspection
The major advantage of a firewall is that it checks every data packet traveling on the network. And if any malicious data can harm your system, the firewall instantly blocks it and does not show it to you.
Controlling Network Access
A firewall can block an entire website if it contains even a small chunk of malicious code. Hackers sometimes trick you by adding harmful links on the website under the main functional buttons on the website. So, when you click on them, they will get your data.
Protects from Viruses
It protects you from major viruses like Trojans and malware in your system or network. A firewall acts as a strong, unbreakable wall that stops these viruses and other harmful attacks from getting into your system.
Disadvantages of Firewalls
Costly
Software-based firewalls are free of cost or affordable as compared to hardware-based firewalls, as they require high processing power, maintenance, and technical configurations. Moreover, some antivirus programs also come up with integrated firewalls.
Limited Access
Although firewalls block all unauthorized access, some companies use them for strict restrictions on certain websites and online tools. This impacts employees’ productivity and makes them search for other ways to go through such restrictions.
Impact on Performance
Software-based firewalls impact the system’s performance. Since the software firewall keeps running in the background, which utilizes some resources, the system gets slow. Additionally, it also happens when your device is old or has low RAM. Modern devices with good hardware can manage firewalls more efficiently, with no negative impact on performance.
Firewall vs VPN
| Functions | Firewall | VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | It filters the traffic and allows safe traffic while blocking others. | It Encrypts your traffic and the data over a VPN tunnel. |
| Working | It tracks and monitors traffic based on preset rules of firewalls. | It creates a secure tunnel so your data is encrypted on the internet, and hides the IP address. |
| Data Encryption | Firewalls do not encrypt the data, just filter the traffic. | It encrypts your data so your ISP can not see your online activities. |
| IP Protection | Firewalls do not hide the IP address | VPN on the contrary hides your IP address and keeps you anonymous over the internet. |
| Usage | Secures your device from malware and unauthorized access. | Provides you with online freedom, and you can access all restricted content in your region. |
It depends on your needs what to choose, but the best approach is to use both a firewall and a VPN together to get complete protection. A firewall keeps your device protected by not allowing any unauthorized access by filtering your data packets or inspecting your network. Make sure that the data you will receive is malware-free. However, a VPN will encrypt and protect your data so it is protected from online threats and hackers by concealing your IP address with the VPN server’s IP.
You can use the VPN service of iProVPN, which will enhance your online security; you will have the freedom to access the content of the world if it’s censored in your region. The best thing is to be safe from your ISP.
Conclusion
A firewall protects your device and network by inspecting the internet traffic following the firewall’s rules. If the data do not have any kind of malware and follow the rules of the firewall, then it is allowed; otherwise, that data packet is blocked for security. Firewalls have different types, including packet filtering, state inspection, proxy firewalls, and modern next-generation firewalls. Also, it has implementation method types, including hardware, software, and cloud-based firewalls. There are also host- and network-based firewalls.
With many advantages of a firewall, there are some drawbacks, such as data packets passing through all the rules so it makes the performance slow. Moreover, hardware firewalls are costly and used in larger organizations to protect the network; on the contrary, software firewalls are free or have low costs. To enhance the overall security of your system, you can use both iProVPN and a firewall together.
FAQs
- What is a firewall?
A firewall is a network security tool that blocks unwanted and harmful traffic. From your device or network. It determines based on firewall rules which traffic needs to be blocked or allowed. These rules include IP filtering, protocol rules, content filtering, and port filtering.
- Can Firewall and iProVPN work together?
Yes! If you use iProVPN with a firewall, your network security will be increased. The firewall blocks all the unauthorized traffic. However, iProVPN encrypts your data and conceals your IP address so your online activities are not tracked and you can access everything on the internet freely.
- Which is more costly, a software firewall or a hardware firewall?
Hardware-based firewalls are more expensive as they require extra maintenance, resources, and complex configuration. Moreover, software-based firewalls are mostly completely free or of low cost.
- Is there any impact on network performance when using a firewall?
Yes, the firewall slows down the network performance. Since it inspects data packets deeply based on the predefined rules.
- Does antivirus software use firewalls?
Not all antivirus software is integrated with firewalls; some offer both. Where the antivirus program detects the virus. However, a firewall blocks malicious traffic from the network.
- Does a firewall encrypt data?
No! A firewall does not encrypt data; it only filters the data packets to make your system secure from any kind of online threats.
