Virtual Firewall - A Complete Guide

What is a Firewall?

A firewall is a network security tool that keeps track of and filters incoming and outgoing network traffic in accordance with previously specified security policies for an organisation. To put it simply, a firewall is essentially the barrier that stands between a private internal network and the open Internet. The basic function of a firewall is to let safe traffic in while blocking risky internet traffic.

Who uses a virtual firewall?

In cloud environments, virtual firewalls are frequently used as a security solution. Because businesses frequently use the cloud due to its inherent flexibility and scalability, cloud security must be flexible enough to meet ever-changing needs.

How Does A Virtual Firewall Work?

Virtual machines within a cloud-based environment or through an FWaaS offering are the two most popular ways that virtual firewalls are installed. As a result, a company can benefit from the cloud's capacity for growth and adaptability for security purposes as well.

Cloud Firewall

Cloud Firewalls have the ability to inspect traffic entering and leaving its secured network. It can accomplish the task through two main ways:

Bridge Mode: Like a physical firewall, a virtual firewall can be installed in the direct channel of traffic. This gives it the ability to evaluate any traffic that is trying to enter or exit the virtual environment across the bridge and either allow it through or prevent it.

Cloud Native APIs: Many cloud services offer an API that enables visibility into traffic flows into an organisation's cloud deployment. This virtual network tap can be used by virtual firewalls to inspect traffic coming into and going out of the protected virtual environment.

Why Are Virtual Firewalls So Important For An Organization?

Virtual environments are beneficial for accelerating innovation and reducing computing costs, but they also carry an increasing number of security and regulatory issues not present in conventional data centres.

Decentralised infrastructures, where applications, data, and workloads are deployed from multiple endpoints rather than a single dedicated resource, are frequently the target of new types of attacks that circumvent standard perimeter security. This makes it challenging to achieve comprehensive visibility and security.

In addition to segmenting east-west traffic inside data centres and branches and inspecting and controlling north-south perimeter traffic in public cloud environments, advanced virtual firewalls can also insert advanced threat prevention measures via micro-segmentation, which is the isolation and individual security of workloads.

With the correct next-generation virtual firewall, your IT environment—including private clouds, public clouds, and branch locations—can benefit from a uniform network security posture.

What Makes Cloud Firewalls distinctive?

The fact that cloud systems rely on many data sources is another characteristic that sets cloud firewalls apart and equips them to defend against a variety of threats. A database of known dangers is the first source of information the system consults. This shared intelligence is available to all system users.

Second, the cloud firewall examines internal activities and previous issues to identify potential risks in the future. By utilising shared intelligence and data analysis, the system can recognise the most recent malware and zero-day threats, protecting your data from malicious parties.

How Does The Mechanism Work?

Firewalls were once actual objects. They were a component of your digital perimeter and frequently no more than a standalone router designed to block possibly harmful traffic from entering your system.

A cloud-based perimeter, unlike a traditional firewall appliance, is not physically present, at least not in relation to your apps or databases. The system's components are scattered throughout. But, next-generation systems actually aren't that dissimilar from conventional ones on a fundamental level. The major distinction is that, instead of data entering at a single point, being filtered, and then disseminated to the proper ports, that filtering takes place at the cloud level. Your cloud-based products have an unseen barrier that can keep malicious users out.

Why Do Companies Need Firewall Software As A Service (Saas)?

Companies used to secure their networks using a "castle and moat" strategy, with on-premises firewalls acting as the primary access checkpoints, back when they stored all of their applications and data in a single, on-site data centre. Companies quickly realised they no longer had clearly defined network perimeters as they migrated to the cloud, adopted infrastructure- and platform-as-a-service (IaaS and PaaS) strategies, added more company- and employee-owned mobile devices to their networks, and increased their use of applications and data hosted on third-party infrastructure (i.e., software as a service, or SaaS).

Security as a Service It is an essential component since it unifies traffic inspection and infiltration prevention for all of your organisation's resources with a single cloud-based firewall.

Benefits of Next-Generation Firewalls

Intrusion Prevention Systems: Network traffic is analysed by intrusion prevention systems to spot and stop harmful assaults. It is an effective inline security element that prevents a decline in network performance.

• Deep Packet Inspection (DPI): Deep Packet Inspection analyses a packet's content and determines its origin. It can also reroute traffic coming from a particular IP address or from internet services.
• Global Threat Intelligence: Regardless of their origin, Global Threat Intelligence offers timely threat intelligence that safeguards individuals and organisations from both known and unknown cyberthreats. Also, it significantly lowers the likelihood of an assault by closing the threat window using fast, frequently predictive, and reputation-based threat intelligence.
• Application Control: Data utilised by and communicated between applications is secure and private owing to application control. This security measure prevents illegal apps from operating in a way that endangers data. It includes things like validity checks, forensic controls, identity, authentication, and authorization.

Benefits of Cloud-based Firewalls

Easy Deployment and Scalability: The fact that cloud-based firewalls are software-defined makes them simple to install. They are deployed quickly and with less impact on the company's operations compared to traditional firewalls. They are consequently significantly simpler to upgrade and maintain.

In contrast to physical firewalls, they have a scale that could be indefinite. The FWaaS changes in order to maintain parity as the bandwidth increases. Businesses can conduct their operations without worrying about traffic volume.

Automatic Updates: For increased security, promptness is crucial. The finest FWaaS offer automatic, in-the-moment upgrades to safeguard against the most recent threats.

Are Firewalls Required For Every Business?

You need a firewall if you're linked to the internet. A firewall can shield your company from online threats like malware and DDoS attacks.

Also, keep in mind that protecting your networks also means protecting the data that your customers have stored on those networks.

Do Firewalls Prevent Cyber Attacks?

They do, in part, yes. For the best defence, you'll need to have additional security measures in place. Firewalls can stop DDoS attacks as well as other cyberattacks like malware and ransomware, as was already mentioned. The most complete defence, however, will require more than just a firewall. On top of your firewall, an intrusion prevention system (IPS) can do wonders.