A firewall is a security mechanism that filters out the bad traffic that tries to access your private network. Like a metal detector installed at secure entrance points in buildings, a firewall is a virtual tool that scans data packets before they enter your company’s network. It checks these data packets against a set of predefined rules.
Like any other technology, the firewall has been updated with advanced security protocols that extend its usability beyond network protection.
The first firewall, a packet filter, was introduced in 1988, during the early internet days when computer geeks noticed that their systems were compromised. Today, we have grown so familiar with this network protection mechanism that no network security conversion is complete without mentioning the firewall.
Firewalls are classified into four types, each following a unique approach to keep your network, database, and employees safe. Your network might need more than one type of firewall for optimal performance. Keep reading to explore different types of firewalls, how they operate, and which is the best fit for your organization.
Software and Hardware Firewalls
Technically, you can use software, hardware, or a combination of these firewalls to ensure maximum network protection.
Hardware Firewalls
A hardware firewall is installed on your company’s router. It covers all the devices connected to this router. Before the data packets enter or leave your network, the hardware firewall scans them thoroughly. It checks the source address, a destination address, content type, and other factors to determine if the data packets are safe.
Physical firewalls are designed for organizations with many devices connected to the same network. They block malicious traffic trying to enter your company’s private network, but they aren’t reliable for offering protection against internal attacks.
Software Firewalls
Once the data packets access your company’s intranet, they are further checked by the software firewalls installed on each computer or internet device. This offers better security from insider threats.
Suppose you want an application not to enter a few selected devices. Your hardware firewall will restrict this application for all devices, whereas the software firewall will restrict them only to the devices that are configured to block these apps.
A software firewall can be configured depending on the level of security you need for different internet devices.
According to a 2019 report, 40% of companies have installed on-premise firewall protection, while 60% have the combination, which includes firewalls installed partially on the cloud.
Types of Firewalls and How They Work
These firewalls differ in terms of operation. Let’s check out the four common firewall types that every organization should install, either as a hardware or software variant.
- Packet Filtering Firewall
- Circuit-Level Gateways
- Stateful Inspection Firewall
- Application-Level Gateways
1. Packet Filtering Firewall
These firewalls differ in terms of operation. Let’s check out the four common firewall types that every organization should install, either as a hardware or software variant.
- Packet Filtering Firewall
- Circuit-Level Gateways
- Stateful Inspection Firewall
- Application-Level Gateways
2. Circuit-Level Gateways
These firewalls differ in terms of operation. Let’s check out the four common firewall types that every organization should install, either as a hardware or software variant.
- Packet Filtering Firewall
- Circuit-Level Gateways
- Stateful Inspection Firewall
- Application-Level Gateways
3. Stateful Inspection Firewall
These firewalls differ in terms of operation. Let’s check out the four common firewall types that every organization should install, either as a hardware or software variant.
- Packet Filtering Firewall
- Circuit-Level Gateways
- Stateful Inspection Firewall
- Application-Level Gateways
4. Application-Level Gateways
These firewalls differ in terms of operation. Let’s check out the four common firewall types that every organization should install, either as a hardware or software variant.
- Packet Filtering Firewall
- Circuit-Level Gateways
- Stateful Inspection Firewall
- Application-Level Gateways
Bottom Line
No security mechanism can accurately predict which type of content poses a threat to your company’s network. However, the updated security technology records the risk pattern, based on which it determines whether the data packets are benign or malicious.
Each type of firewall aims to scan the data before letting it in. If the security protocols signal previous attacks from a specific data packet requesting access to your system, it gets blocked immediately.