Firewalls and the Race to Keep your Data Secure

firewalls in combination with anti-virus packages are essential tools to keep your data secure either in your home or your business. Many users feel that with the help of a superior antivirus package, they can protect their data from getting lost through harmful viruses. What they fail to consider is the threat of their data getting stolen by online hackers and thieves. With the help of a firewall, you can protect your system or network from being accessed by nefarious sites or individuals. You can also restrict the data sent from your network to outside entities.

Types of Firewalls

There are three types of firewalls relevant to data security. The first is the software program that is built into the computer system designed to restrict unauthorised data flow from and to the computer network. Secondly, there are firewalls that are hardware devices connected to the system created to block intrusions from viruses and hackers. Finally, there are firewalls that are built in to the wireless routers existing on the network. This prevents flow of data by WIFI connections as well as non-WIFI ones. Sonicwall and Cisco firewalls are some of the leading names in this industry.

Preventing Data Leakage

One of the primary ways data from a company can be lost is through emails sent from within the company to a location outside. Firewalls work in a variety of ways to block such data from being transferred. User access levels can be defined to restrict email correspondence to individuals within the organisation alone. Alternatively, access levels can be modified to restrict the movement of email attachments. Some firewalls can prevent users from uploading data from the network to Internet sites. In all these ways, data leakage due to the naivety, negligence or misbehaviour of the employees can be prevented.

Preventing Data Loss

Another contribution provided by firewalls is the prevention of data loss through harmful viruses or other agents. If a virus enters your network undetected, it can wreck havoc to your business. Data can be wiped out; errant mails can be sent on your behalf, the list is endless. Imagine a scenario where you have no records of your cash, sales, innovations and other important data. Firewalls can protect such data loss. By preventing sites from accessing the network or users from opening suspicious attachments, they are able to prevent data loss from the network through virus and hackers.

Also check out the options available online on Cisco switches, Cisco Telephones, telephone systems or telephones from Mitel, switches and other Sonicwall products and Cisco routers.