| What Does a Firewall Do? | | | | be duplicated and replayed. Strength in terms of user |
| Firewalls are absolutely vital for keeping network | | | | authentication necessitates the utilization of encryption, |
| security in force. The firewall stops and controls the | | | | like SSL certificates. These certificates stop 'replay |
| traffic that comes between your network and the | | | | attacks' from occurring, for instance when a username |
| different sites you go to. A firewall is an integral part of | | | | and password are obtained and 'replayed' for |
| a company's network protection, and it acts to keep in | | | | purposes of admittance or accessibility. |
| force the network security policy. It can log | | | | Firewall-to-firewall encryption |
| inter-network activity with efficiency. It can also reduce | | | | Virtual Private Network, or VPN, is the term most |
| a network's vulnerability. Whenever an organization is | | | | often used for an encrypted connection. Privacy is |
| connected to the Internet but is not using a firewall, any | | | | achieved by using encoded inputs. Of course, it isn't |
| host on the network has direct access to all resources | | | | really private. The private communication is carried by |
| on the internet. If you don't have a firewall, every host | | | | a public network such as the Internet. VPNs were in |
| online can attack every host in your network. | | | | use before firewalls, but as the technology has grown, |
| What is a Firewall Incapable of Doing? | | | | VPNs have come into play more. A VPN option is |
| Firewalls are incapable of determining whether | | | | expected by most people when dealing with a firewall |
| network content has a harmful purpose. Frequently | | | | vendor. |
| they are unable to safeguard against attacks from | | | | Other firewall functions: |
| within (although they may log the activity on the | | | | - Firewalls are more and more being used to screen |
| network, if the culprit utilizes the internet connection to | | | | content. Some firewalls also now scan for viruses. If |
| commit the offense). If a connection does not pass | | | | you use a firewall for virus scanning, it can slow down |
| through the firewall, it cannot be protected by it. To put | | | | your performance, though. You have to scan for |
| it another way, should a person link up to the Internet | | | | viruses all the time, because each desktop is different |
| via a computer modem and phone, the network | | | | and sometimes the firewall can't always protect you |
| firewall is unable to offer them any safeguard. | | | | from everything that you do. Especially when it comes |
| Firewalls offer minimal safeguarding from attacks | | | | to any removable disks. |
| which are not already identified, and basic firewalls | | | | - URL Screening: Firewall regulated accessibility to the |
| furnish inadequate security from contact with online | | | | internet as well as content filtering of both files and |
| viruses. | | | | messages appears to be a practical extension of a |
| Authentication of a network user | | | | firewall. The drawback of utilizing a firewall for URL or |
| All that user authentication implies is a means of | | | | content filtering is minimized performance. |
| establishing as valid or verifying the claimed identity. | | | | - To restrict the size of network space that any single |
| Usernames and passwords furnish this verification, | | | | user can occupy, or restrict the amount of the |
| however this is not very powerful user authentication. | | | | network's bandwidth that may be utilized for given |
| If a connection is not private, like an Internet hook-up | | | | purposes. |
| that lacks encryption, usernames and passwords may | | | | |