Next-Gen Firewalls of Network Security at The Edge
Traditional firewalls, programmed to block bad actors from gaining access to your network, function when organizations’ implement specific security measures to scrub traffic port, source, destination, and activity information.
Even when your IT department and cybersecurity personnel are thoughtful and meticulous about the security rules they put into place, they face an uphill battle. Cybercriminals and other malicious actors are constantly on the lookout for gaps in your network.
But with next-generation firewalls (NGFW), device manufacturers are becoming more sophisticated in offering enhanced protection, ensuring the safety of sensitive information for business.
What Makes a Firewall "Next Generation"?
Next-gen firewalls move beyond the traditional layer-3 firewall that blocks traffic based solely on IP address.
NGFWs include added security features such as content and device filtering, application-based rules, packet inspection, and intrusion detection and protection systems (IPS/IDS).
These characteristics analyze and inspect the content of data packets arriving in your network to determine if they contain malware or threats.
But the difference between next-generation and traditional firewalls isn’t confined to simple packet inspection. NGFW threat intelligence can be updated continuously to identify and prevent emerging cyberattacks from targeting your network.
With next-gen firewalls, you can even establish “trust levels” based on the unique behavior of your verified users.
Why Your Enterprise Business Needs Next-Gen Firewalls
Even if your organization’s applications seem safe, bad actors have proven more than capable of infiltrating networks in novel ways. Cybercriminals have gained access to networks through unsecured vendor portals and with rogue code embedded in the macros of data spreadsheets.
Having a firm grasp on the traffic entering your network is one way of discovering potential vulnerabilities, but as networks have become more complex and spread out, thorough assessments of the “weak spots” in your network become increasingly difficult to ascertain.
Today’s NGFWs possess the ability to recognize and analyze vulnerabilities in applications previously thought unbreachable.
As applications and networks shift closer and closer to the edge, networking and security have become synonymous. WAN routers that previously served the almost exclusive function of network expansion have become today’s modern security devices.
The 5G routers on the market now function as a security service edge (SSE) solution. The security capabilities on most current WAN devices and hardware enable central policy orchestration, which means that the intelligence gathered through NGFW deep packet inspection can create a comprehensive security policy for greater visibility and network control.
Fundamental changes in how and where enterprise business networks operate, including in-vehicle coverage, connectivity for a remote workforce, and hybrid WAN that supports both wired and cellular broadband, means that networks can be accessed at many points and in diverse ways.
Next-gen firewalls need to provide consistent and exhaustive security.
Routers with Built-In Firewalls
The comparison between next-gen firewalls and traditional firewalls begins with the superior level of protection the former provides. NGFWs are also now more accessible than ever because of the increase in firewall routers available for sale to businesses of all sizes.
In the beginning, traditional firewalls were cumbersome hardware that needed to be rack-mounted. Typically, only large business enterprises could afford the cost, space, along with the IT and security staff, to manage their operations.
This left many medium and smaller businesses vulnerable to cyber threats because they lacked the space and support staff to protect their network.
Cradlepoint 5G Endpoints
Currently, NGFW software is built-in to routers right out of the box. Enter the router firewall. In fact, it’s difficult to find a 5G router today without firewall protection.
By adding firewalls to modern routers and gateways, advanced security features are now available to businesses of all sizes.
Branch offices, popup sites, vehicles, and other organizations with mobile and remote networking needs previously excluded from the protection of large, enterprise-grade firewalls now have a viable security solution.
USAT has an extensive inventory of compact routers that empower companies to establish cellular broadband networks that perform edge routing functions on a completely secure and protected network.
Contact USAT
USAT can help public and private organizations update, manage, and replace cellular hardware for fixed and mobile applications with new 5G devices from top-tier manufacturers like Cradlepoint equipped with advanced edge security.
USAT LLC, a key part of the data solutions team at Mobile Communications America, exists to serve our nations critical infrastructure by creating secure communication networks that pass data wirelessly between key systems — linking remote personnel and machine assets. We have partnered with industry leaders that manufacture top-of-the-line communications devices, management platforms, and accessories to suit the specific needs of a vast array of industries in a variety of applications and environments.
*Original Article Credit Goes to Cradlepoint.
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