How to secure your firewall.
A firewall is a system designed to prevent unauthorized access to or from a private network. Firewalls can be hardware- or software-based. Hardware-based firewalls are usually bundled as part of a router, while software-based firewalls can be installed on most any device, including routers.
When configuring a firewall, you will need to specify which ports to block. The most common ports to block are those used by viruses and worms to spread, such as port 80 (HTTP) and port 445 (SMB). You may also want to block all ports except those used by specific applications, such as email or web servers.
In addition to blocking ports, firewalls can also be configured to block IP addresses. This is useful for preventing access from specific countries or regions. For example, you could block all IP addresses from China.
Firewalls can also be used to protect against denial of service (DoS) attacks. DoS attacks are typically conducted by flooding a target with requests, causing the target to become overloaded and unavailable. By blocking requests from suspicious IP addresses, firewalls can help to prevent DoS attacks.
It’s important to note that firewalls are not a panacea. They will not protect you from all security threats. For example, firewalls cannot block phishing emails or prevent you from downloading malware. However, when used in conjunction with other security measures, firewalls can be an effective tool for protecting your network..Click for source
The different types of firewalls available and their advantages/disadvantages.
In computer networking, a firewall is a network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. A firewall typically establishes a barrier between a trusted internal network and an untrusted external network, such as the Internet.
There are several types of firewalls available, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
1. Personal Firewalls
A personal firewall is a software program that runs on a individual computer and monitors all network traffic to and from that computer. Personal firewalls are typically installed on computers that connect to the Internet, in order to protect them from hacker attacks.
Advantages:
-Can be easily installed on a single computer.
-Can be configured to specifically allow or block certain types of traffic.
-Can provide protection even if other computers on the same network are compromised.
Disadvantages:
-Can be complex to configure properly.
-May impact the performance of the computer on which it is installed.
-Will not protect other computers on the same network (unless they also have personal firewalls installed).
2. Hardware Firewalls
A hardware firewall is a physical device that is installed between a trusted internal network and an untrusted external network. Hardware firewalls are typically used to protect entire networks of computers, rather than individual computers.
Advantages:
-Can provide protection for an entire network of computers.
-Can be configured to specifically allow or block certain types of traffic.
– Generally more secure than software firewalls, as they are difficult for hackers to disable or bypass.
Disadvantages:
-More expensive than software firewalls.
-May impact the performance of the network.
-Must be properly configured and maintained.
3. Cloud Firewalls
A cloud firewall is a firewall that is implemented as a service, typically provided by a cloud computing provider. Cloud firewalls filter traffic between a cloud computing provider and its customers, and can be used to protect both virtual and physical networks.
Advantages:
-Can be easily implemented and configured.
-Can provide protection for both virtual and physical networks.
-Can be scaled up or down as needed.
Disadvantages:
-Relies on the security of the cloud computing provider.
-Can be more expensive than other types of firewalls.
4. Application-level Firewalls
An application-level firewall is a firewall that is designed to monitor and control traffic at the application layer, which is the highest layer in the OSI model. Application-level firewalls are typically used to protect servers from attack.
Advantages:
-Can provide protection for specific applications or services.
-Can be more secure than network-level firewalls, as they can inspect and block specific types of traffic.
Disadvantages:
-Can be more complex to configure than other types of firewalls.
-May impact the performance of the applications or services that it is protecting.
5. Distributed Firewalls
A distributed firewall is a firewall that is implemented as a distributed system, typically across multiple devices. Distributed firewalls are typically used to protect large networks, such as those of enterprises or service providers.
Advantages:
-Can provide protection for large networks.
-Can be scalable and easily extended.
-Can be more secure than other types of firewalls, as they can be configured to specifically allow or block certain types of traffic.
Disadvantages:
-Can be more complex to configure than other types of firewalls.
-May impact the performance of the network.
Visit malwarezero.org to learn more about firewall. Disclaimer: We used this website as a reference for this blog post.