A managed firewall is used to protect networks from attacks, including both networks that connect to the Internet and internal company networks. The firewall acts as a sort of policeman; all messages that want to come in or leave the network first have to meet the firewall’s approval. Additionally, the firewall can control who has access to the network through the use of logins and security codes.
Firewalls can be installed through hardware or by using software. The better security systems use a combination of both hardware and software.
Some of the more common types of firewalls are:
- Packet Filters. While hard to configure, these filters control which packets of information are accepted or rejected according to pre-set rules.
- Gateway Firewalls. Application and circuit-level gateways control which applications and which connections are acceptable.
- Proxy Server. A proxy server controls which messages are acceptable and serves to hide the real network addresses.
A firewall is just one line of defense against cyberattacks. There are many other defenses that should be reviewed while speaking with a firewall management service consultant.
Outsourcing managed security services – key considerations
There are many pros and cons to outsourcing security services to a managed security service provider (MSSP). Some of the main advantages are cost, resource availability, and technical expertise.
Installing and maintaining a private security service requires a great deal of time and resources to determine which parts of the system require security and how that security should be implemented. Security requires additional software and hardware to anticipate and defend against all possible threats. Whoever maintains the security has to keep abreast of all the new ways information systems can be subject to attack.
By using an MSSP, an organization can cut costs and maximize security. A managed security service can spread the costs of investigating attacks and implementing defenses over many customers. In this way, the organization that uses an MSSP is only paying a small percentage of security costs and is saving its human resources for production and other enterprises that generate profit or perform customer services.
Compliance is another reason to use an MSSP. Companies often have to meet legal standards, such as HIPAA compliance or compliance with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards. Keeping up with the legal requirements and implementing systems to manage the legal and technical requirements can be another expensive part of security. As with other security concerns, outsourcing the service is a way to apportion and, subsequently, reduce the costs.
Some of the risk concerns, in outsourcing to an MSSP, are:
- How sensitive is the information?
- What does the MSSP do to meet privacy and integrity concerns?
- Does adding an extra layer of involvement increase or decrease the likelihood of an attack?
Some of the questions that need to be reviewed with the MSSP are:
- Will the information be stored in the cloud?
- Is a hybrid or bare-metal cloud a better option?
- Who has access to the information that needs to be secured?
- Are there any services that should be kept in-house?
- How is firewall security monitoring handled?
- How are virtual private networks handled?
- Does the MSSP offer DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) protection?
- How are computer logs kept?
- Can the MSSP do vulnerability scanning?
Get help with managed firewall services by speaking with a managed security service provider today
There are many ways to protect your computer systems from outside attacks. A managed security service provider understands the common and uncommon ways to protect against computer breaches, including managed firewall protection. For help with firewalls, security services, disaster recovery, and other safety issues, speak with a Volico representative today by calling 888-865-4261. Our experienced staff is ready to answer your questions and guide you through the complexities of securing your company’s data.
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