What is a Firewall?

What is a Firewall?

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Lets talk about firewalls. Imagine your computer, or your entire home network, as a house (that's a pretty common analogy, right?). You want to keep the good stuff inside – your family photos, your funny cat videos, your important documents – and you want to keep the bad stuff out – burglars, viruses, hackers, those pesky telemarketers who call at dinner time. A firewall is basically the security system for your digital house (or your entire digital neighborhood, depending on how you look at it).


Think of it as a gatekeeper.

What is a Firewall?

What is a Firewall? - managed it security services provider

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    Every piece of information that tries to get into your network, or tries to leave it, has to go through the firewall (like going through airport security). The firewall examines each packet of data – think of them as little packages of information – and checks if it meets certain rules (these rules are pre-defined, and you can often customize them).

    What is a Firewall? - managed it security services provider

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    If the data packet is deemed safe, its allowed through (the gatekeeper waves it on). If its suspicious or doesnt meet the rules, its blocked (the gatekeeper slams the gate shut).


    So, what kind of things does a firewall look for? Well, it can look at the source of the data (where its coming from), the destination (where its going), the type of data, and other characteristics.

    What is a Firewall? - managed service new york

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    For example, you might configure your firewall to block all traffic from a specific country known for malicious activity (a digital "no-fly zone," if you will).

    What is a Firewall? - managed services new york city

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    Or you might block all connections to a certain port (a specific doorway into your computer) that is commonly used by hackers.


    Firewalls come in a few flavors. You have hardware firewalls (these are physical devices, often routers with built-in firewall capabilities, like the one you probably have at home).

    What is a Firewall?

    What is a Firewall? - managed service new york

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    Then you have software firewalls (these are programs that run on your computer, like Windows Firewall or the firewall that comes with your antivirus software).

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      Ideally, you want to have both.

      What is a Firewall? - managed services new york city

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      Its like having a security guard at the gate and an alarm system inside the house – layered security is always better.


      Why are firewalls important?

      What is a Firewall? - managed it security services provider

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      Without one, your computer or network is vulnerable to all sorts of online threats (its like leaving your front door wide open all the time). Hackers can gain access to your personal information, install malware, use your computer to launch attacks on other networks, or even hold your data ransom (thats called ransomware, and its not a fun experience). A firewall acts as a critical first line of defense against these threats, protecting your data and your privacy (which is pretty important in todays digital world).

      What is a Firewall?

      What is a Firewall? - managed it security services provider

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      So, make sure you have one enabled and configured correctly!

      What is Vulnerability Scanning?