How Firewalls and Proxies Protect Your Network From Cyber Attacks

2022-09-12 13:08:41

Did you know that 39% of internet traffic may be malicious?

Because we interact with such a small slice of the internet, it's sometimes easy to forget that it's like the Wild West. But the internet ocean is vast, and the monsters that lurk in the deep too often remain unseen.

So, how do you protect yourself against data breaches and potentially devastating cyber attackers like the infamous Stuxnet worm?

The first lines of defence are firewalls and proxy firewalls. You need a good firewall and proxy if you want your business to stay safe from the worst of the online world.

But these technologies constitute two different types of network security. Keep reading to understand the differences in firewall management and how you can utilise them to bulk up your IT security.

What Is a Firewall?

In simple terms, a firewall is a digital defensive barrier. Think of it as a border checkpoint. All traffic must route through the checkpoint to gain access to the country beyond.

A network firewall checks all untrusted internet traffic and has the power to admit or deny any that is suspicious. Like a border agent, it inspects traffic for malicious or unwanted indicators.

This inspection comes in the form of filter rules. A filter rule, in essence, permits certain types of traffic while denying other types. Your business' IT generates dynamic filter rules depending on what you deem unwanted or malicious traffic.

 

The Use Cases of Firewalls

If a business wishes to prevent malware, it can block all network requests from sites associated with malware. Cybersecurity organisations maintain updated and comprehensive lists of websites with known malicious intent. By using these lists, you have the assurance that no malicious traffic can gain access to your organisation.

Further, you can use a firewall to block traffic for any reason. For example, if you want your employees to refrain from using social media on company computers, you can set filter rules to deny the likes of Instagram, Facebook and others.

Quality firewall management is crucial for any business wanting to protect itself from the dangers posed by the internet.

 

The Limits of Network Firewalls

All that said, a firewall is not perfect. It protects against traffic originating from malicious domains but cannot protect against malware from trusted domains.

For example, many bad actors send malware via email. They scramble the malware, compress it and send it as a seemingly harmless email attachment. The email provider scans this attachment but finds no malware, so an employee opens it in a familiar program, such as a .pdf file, allowing the virus to spread to your network.

Alas, while firewalls are an essential technology, they are nothing more than filters. Once the threats gain access, the firewall cannot stop them. That's why you need a proxy firewall.

 

What Are Proxy Firewalls?

Proxy firewalls are a type of proxy server.

The hint is in the name: proxy. A proxy is a person or other that stands and acts in place of another person or thing. As you might have guessed, a proxy firewall works as you would, in your role, to handle internet traffic.

Think of a proxy firewall like the Mars Rover. The Rover can handle the harsh, inhospitable territory of the planet Mars. We send the Rover in proxy of humankind so we can study Mars without harming ourselves.

Similarly, a proxy firewall is a separate entity in your network security. Firewalls work as a barrier to unwanted traffic, and in addition to being a barrier, a proxy firewall isolates incoming traffic from the rest of the network.

 

The Use Cases of Proxy Firewalls

Say, for example, you want to browse the internet from a work computer, but you have sensitive files on your network, and the last thing you want is hackers to access those files.

A proxy firewall sandbox's incoming traffic from the rest of the network so that if malicious traffic manages to gain access, the proxy will protect the rest of your managed services from contracting a digital virus, thus allowing you to browse safely.

Conversely, a network firewall is merely a filter barrier. Traffic that enters the network will remain there, and if something malicious gains entry, the firewall is powerless to stop it.

 

Proxy Firewall vs Proxy Server

Proxy firewalls are a type of proxy server. That said, not all proxy servers are proxy firewalls.

Proxy servers can exist for other reasons too. For example, proxy servers can speed up the network and save bandwidth by caching websites you use daily.

Furthermore, it keeps bad actors from identifying your business through internet traffic. A proxy server to the internet is not the same as your business. It has a different IP address and identifying attributes, thereby maintaining anonymity.

Proxy servers also enable the bypassing of blocks. For example, your business might outsource manufacturing to a restricted country such as China, and having a proxy server in that country will allow you to bypass those blocks quickly.

A proxy firewall fulfils all of these functions, making it an excellent 2-in-1 solution. It not only filters the internet like a firewall but also isolates that traffic from the rest of the network.

 

Get Managed Services for Your Business

Hackers never rest. Every day they find new ways to infiltrate your systems. That's why it pays to have good firewalls, whether network firewalls or proxy firewalls.

If you haven't done it already, it's time to shore up your business IT network security. Whether you're searching for a comprehensive or specific solution, you're just a phone call or email away from professionals in the industry. Get in contact today for a solution to help strengthen your business' network firewall.