What is a Firewall and why should you have one?
One of the first things you are asked when setting up a new network in your home or business is “do you have a firewall?” Now, we often think of a large wall somewhere in cyberspace that helps secure your computer but what is a firewall and what does it actually do?
A firewall is a barrier that is used to protect your device from viruses and malware that are data-based. Whenever you access the internet from any device, you exchange data with the server you are using to reach information in cyberspace. Firewalls watch the data being exchanged and decide whether or not packets of data are safe for your device. Most devices have built-in firewalls that can help to prevent some malware from infecting your laptop, computer, or phone but for the best results, make sure you also have a proper firewall.
Firewalls are particularly important to any business because hackers will try their best to get into your computer. They want to access any data on your computer such as credit card information, personal information, or company information that they can then sell to your competitors. They may also want to transmit viruses onto your computer to ruin your operations. A firewall will protect your business and keep your personal information safe. As you can see, firewalls are vital to keep your business’ information safe.
To reduce your overall risk exposure and learn more about CIO Tech’s network security and compliance solutions, speak with one of our team members today. We start with a vulnerability assessment to identify network devices, domain configuration, end-user real time utilization, associated risks. This allows us to map against known vulnerabilities with network security best practice recommendations.
