What factors should take into account when deploying a next-generation firewall

While firewalls are a typical security solution for the majority of businesses, in today’s evolving threat landscape, only next generation firewalls can provide adequate protection.
Over the last decade, firewalls have grown common in businesses, but the combination of new and varied access ways and increasingly sophisticated attacks has compelled network operators and security specialists to continuously evaluate their defences.

According to Gartner researcher Adam Hils, firewalls often undergo a five-year renewal cycle, which allows enterprises to examine the type of firewall and its features on a fairly regular basis.

A TERMINOLOGICAL DEFINITION OF THE NEXT GENERATION FIREWALL
According to Gartner, a next generation firewall (NGFW) is a “deep-packet inspection firewall that expands beyond port/protocol inspection and blocking to include application-level inspection, intrusion prevention, and intelligence from sources outside the firewall.”

FIREWALLS OF THE PAST VS. FIREWALLS OF THE FUTURE

Next generation firewalls, as their name implies, are a more advanced version of the old firewall that provides the same benefits. As with conventional firewalls, NGFW employ static and dynamic packet filtering, as well as VPN compatibility, to ensure that all connections between the network, the internet, and the firewall are valid and safe. Both types of firewalls should be capable of translating network and port addresses in order to map IP addresses.

Additionally, there are significant differences between classic and next-generation firewalls. The most evident distinction between the two is the ability of an NGFW to filter packets based on their application. These firewalls have a high degree of control and visibility over the apps they are able to recognise through analysis and signature matching. They can employ whitelists or a signature-based intrusion prevention system to differentiate between safe and malicious programmes, which are subsequently recognised via SSL decryption. Unlike most classic firewalls, NGFWs additionally provide a mechanism for receiving future updates.

ADVANTAGES OF NEXT-GENERATION FIREWALLS

The distinguishing characteristics of next-generation firewalls result in unique benefits for the businesses that use them. NGFWs are capable of preventing malware from accessing a network, which is something that regular firewalls are unable of doing. They are more prepared to deal with Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs). Because they combine the functions of antiviruses, firewalls, and other security programmes into a single solution, NGFWs can be a low-cost choice for businesses wishing to improve their basic protection. This includes application awareness, inspection services, a protection system, and an awareness tool that benefit the offering in all circumstances.

THE CRITICAL ROLE OF FUTURE GENERATION FIREWALLS

Any organisation must install a firewall. Having a next generation firewall is almost as critical in today’s world. Every day, threats to personal devices and bigger networks evolve. Due to the adaptability of an NGFW, it protects devices and businesses against a considerably broader range of invasions. While these firewalls are not appropriate for every business, security professionals should carefully assess the benefits that NGFWs may give, as there is a significant upside.
“There are several dangers and risks, and one of the benefits of not just a content filtering system, but a whole firewall, is that we can monitor all of those threats on a daily, hourly, or even minutely basis,” Choate explains. “We are not concealing ourselves; we are a public entity and a fairly large target. With a clear conscience, I couldn’t leave the environment without a firewall.”