While
firewalls, which are the basis of a corporate network security strategy, have
been around for quite some time, they have evolved significantly as the cyber
threat landscape has changed. A next-generation firewall (NGFW) is a firewall
designed to protect against the modern cyber threats that companies face. In
addition to the core functions of a firewall, NGFWs integrate a range of other
capabilities to protect against advanced cyber threats.
How an NGFW
Works
Firewalls
define network boundaries. All traffic passing through an NGFW is inspected by
that firewall. This inspection allows the firewall to apply security policy
rules which permit or block traffic.
An NGFW
builds on the capabilities of a traditional firewall by incorporating
additional features. For example, an NGFW operates at the application layer of
the TCP/IP stack to apply intrusion prevention system (IPS), antimalware,
sandboxing and other protections. These functions allow an NGFW to identify and
block advanced threats before they pose a risk to corporate systems.
Why Do You
Need an NGFW?
Today`s
threat landscape consists of modern Gen V cyberattacks which are sophisticated
and organized, automated attack campaigns that target multiple attack vectors
using advanced tactics and techniques to gain access to corporate environments.
Blocking these
attacks at the network perimeter is essential to minimizing the potential risk
to the organization. However, traditional firewalls lack the in-depth network
traffic visibility to identify and prevent these attacks. An NGFW`s array of
integrated network security controls makes it a robust first line of defense
against these threats.
Additionally,
an ngfw can be used as part of a network segmentation strategy. By dividing the
corporate network into zones and routing traffic between zones through an NGFW,
organizations have multiple opportunities to detect and eliminate threats
before they reach their intended targets. This internal security is essential
when hackers can infiltrate a corporate network through account takeovers,
supply chain attacks, and similar attacks.
Comments
Post a Comment