Network security is an essential part of any computer system, and a firewall is one of the most important components of this security. A firewall is a hardware or software device that acts as a barrier between a computer network and the internet, preventing unauthorized access to the network. Firewalls inspect inbound and outbound traffic using a set of security rules to identify and block threats. Network firewalls are placed between the entire network and the internet, protecting all devices connected to that network.
Firewalls can also manage network resources, allowing you to control how much bandwidth is available for specific types of data. This type of firewall examines the content of the payload, giving security engineers more detailed control over network traffic. FortiGate's NGFW includes packet filtering, Internet Security Protocol (IPSec), support for virtual private networks (SSL VPN) at the secure socket level, and network monitoring. These inspections allow you to identify malware, specific attacks, and other types of threats and then prevent them from entering the network.
Network firewalls are controlled by specific network administrators who are responsible for defining firewall rules. Firewalls block incoming threats based on a set of pre-programmed rules that can also determine which users can access specific areas of the network. By placing a firewall between where the computer connects to the network and the rest of the network, attackers may not be able to use the computer to infect other users on the network. Firewalls filter network traffic data to protect the network from malicious attacks and malware.
