All You Need to Know About

Firewall

Firewall N/W Security

A firewall can be described as a network security system whose function
is to control and monitor incoming and outgoing networks. A firewall is
based on predetermined security rules. It acts as a barrier securing an
inner network from an outer network, for instance, internet. Network
firewall is a software appliance running on hardware based firewall used
to filter traffic on more than two networks.
A layer of software protection is provided by a host based firewall on one
of the hosts that is responsible for network traffic. Routers are used to
separate different broadcast domains and pass data between networks,
these networks contain firewall components and also performs basic
routing functions.

How do Firewalls Work

Firewalls are set up at every Internet connection point. This helps the
system in evaluating even the minutest of data which flows into it. These
firewalls can be tuned to follow a specific set of rules, either specified by
you or by the administrator, to allow traffic to their servers.

Characteristic of Firewall
Direction control: Helps determine direction for the initiation of
requests allowed to flow from Firewalls.
Service control: To determine types of services that are accessible,
such as outbound and inbound. Traffic can be filtered on the basis of
protocol, port number, proxy servers and IP addresses.
Behavior control: It controls some particular services. A portion of the
information provided on a local web server may be externally
accessible.
User Control: It can be applied for incoming traffic from external users
and requires some form of authentication such as provided by IPsec.

OSI Vs TCP/IP Networks Model

To understand the working of a firewall, we must know how different
networking layers interact in the flow. Each layer has a set of
responsibilities and is handled in a well-defined manner. The OSI model is
a newer version that has become a standard as TCP/IP does not meet
several requirements and industry standards.
The lowest level at which a Firewall works is layer three and it is defined
as the network layer in OSI model whereas in TCP/IP it works as an
Internet protocol layer. This layer is concerned with the destination of
routing packets. At this level, it can be determined whether the source is
trusted or not.

Need of Firewall Protection

There is no doubt that internet has transformed the way the companies
transacted their business years ago. Although enterprises are leveraging
its use for day-to-day business transactions, but internet has some
setback.
Internet has made confidential data available to unscrupulous computer
geeks who look out for such sensitive data either to trade or fulfil their
other vested interests. Firewall works as a protective sheet between
private enterprise networks and hackers, to prevent the theft of such
confidential enterprise data.

Use of Next-generation firewalls

(NGFW)

Next Generation Firewalls came into the picture due to some limitations in
Stateful Packet Inspection as it does not inspect network packets
containing data payload and also due to high network traffic, it uses web
protocols, including business and non-business applications. New
approaches have been added by security vendors, including deep packet
and inspection intrusion prevention, for the detection of malware in
network traffic.
This can be a drawback too as these approaches add more and more
devices that add latency, as these packets are passed from one appliance
to the other. These devices should be configured in some unified threat
management systems so that multiple functions can be handled in a
single platform. NGFW helps address application awareness drawbacks
and traffic inspection, without hampering performance.

The Development of Firewall

Types in Network Security
Network security has been through a lot of changes and iterations in order to
System
have evolved
and provide better protection to users. . In this brief blog post,
we provide you information about the different types of network firewall.
Access Control Lists (ACLs) This type of firewall was used earlier and used
for routers. It was fairly used for performance and scalability however a
drawback of this firewall is it is unable to read anything more than packet
headers. This provides only the undeveloped and fundamental information
about the traffic.
Proxy firewalls The firewall works on incoming network traffic by copying
the anticipated recipient. Proxy firewalls inspect the network traffic and send
details to the destination computers that is possible only when the access is
permitted. The response of the computer response is then transferred to the
proxy that sends the data across with the origin address of the proxy server.
Through this process the proxy firewalls build a gap between two computers
which implies that it is the only machine connected to the outside world.

The Development of Firewall

Types in Network Security
Stateful inspection firewalls An evolutionary step in the world of network
System
(Cont.)
firewall,
it is effective
in sorting and tracking the actual state of traffic. It
tracks the state of traffic by examining all the connection interactions till
the time a connection is suspended.

Unified Threat Management (UTM) solutions These are the solutions that
combine stateful examination firewalls, IPS and antivirus into a single
machine by taking into account other network security capabilities.
Next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) These firewalls were created to
counteract the growing capability of appliances and malware. The NGFW
brings together the major network protection functions, comprising of
unconventional firewall, URL filtering, IPS/IDS and threat security. The
NGFW solutions ensure improved security as compared to the legacy
firewalls, point threat finding products, or UTMs. These functions are
designed into the product from the beginning and share important
information across various disciplines.

Benefits of Firewall
Prevent attacks on your private network by the other networks outside
the world.
It allows you to define a funnel, keeping aside the non-authorized users.
Allow monitoring the security of your network and computer when
suspicious activity occurs, it will generate an alarm.
Monitor and record services using WWW (World Wide Web), FTP (File
Transfer Protocol) and other protocols.
Control the use of Internet. It helps to block or un-block inappropriate or
appropriate material.

Disadvantages of Firewall

Legitimate User Restriction

Diminished Performance
Vulnerabilities
Internal Attack
Cost

Our Social Reach

Cyberoam Technologies
USA Central : +1-732-412-4896
Delhi & NCR : +91-9899150300
Ahmedabad : +91-9925011328
Bangalore:
+91-9880345671
Dubai:
+971-4-214 9860
North America
505 Thornall
Street, Suite #
304
Edison, NJ
-08837
USA

Cyberoam House,
Saigulshan Complex,
Opp. Sanskruti,
Beside White House,
Panchwati Cross
Road,
Ahmedabad - 380006,
GUJARAT, INDIA.

sales@cyberoam.com
http://www.cyberoam.com/

Thank You