What is a Firewall and Why Do You Need One?

June 3, 2021

As Cyber Security experts, with a long history of managing complex networks, JC Cyber Security understands the wider environment of network infrastructure and applications in which our customers’ firewalls operate. Reducing risk and ensuring ongoing compliance with a Managed Firewall Service ensures one of the most basic and essential forms of cyber security. 

What is a Firewall?

A firewall is a preventative technical security control used to provide automated protection to an IT network and/or application(s) as part of a DiD (Defence in Depth) approach.

In short, a firewall monitors and governs the flow of traffic (data packets) between one network and another through a series of predefined rules and policies; the ultimate goal of providing authorised network access to safe connections and denying access to any unauthorised connections who may pose a threat.

As the first line of defence, firewalls aid in forming a necessary part of your business continuity plan: the protection against any cyber-related attacks to deny any data theft and/or network downtime.

What Firewalls do

  • Prevent unauthorised access
  • Ensure resilience and minimise risk

What Firewalls don't do

Can Firewalls be both software and hardware?

Yes! Depending on your needs, both hardware and software-related firewalls can be just as important as the other. Both hardware and software related firewalls protect from hackers and any cyber threats by blocking dangerous threats from reaching the system.

Hardware related firewalls offer network-wide protection whereas software related firewalls are installed on individual devices such as computers that take a more specific approach, inspecting data from applications and programmes, ensuring there are no user-level security concerns.

Beyond the choice between physical or software-related firewalls, it is just as important to select appropriate firewall controls that provide the necessary features and security to protect your business against everyday cyber threats. If you’d like help in discussing a firewall solution, check out our managed firewall service. Not convinced? You can find out how efficient your current firewall security controls are by signing up for our free firewall audit - with no impact on your network performance.


Over 85% of old, unused firewall rules accommodate malicious attacks

How can a Firewall protect your business?

An optimal, well-defined firewall with appropriate policies and safeguards can provide many benefits to your business. If managed using our four-step Managed Firewall Service methodology, we believe that firewalls provide you with the tools to:

  • Secure - ensure that all components of a network are well-guarded with adequate authentication and authorisation policies
  • Examine - constantly monitor network activity in accordance with the protection and safeguards that have been put in place
  • Test - the ability to assess vulnerabilities of your network security policies by using a trusted entity to attack it
  • Enhance - the means and data to build better safeguards and ensure an appropriate DiD (Defence in Depth) approach for the future

In order to ensure these benefits, your firewall service needs around the clock management and support. Any troubleshooting or changes in configurations may cause business disruption and leave you vulnerable to cyber threats. With our Protection Plans, we can ensure a 24/7, 365 day monitored and managed firewall service that reduces risk and ensures ongoing compliance with the current threat landscape

Detecting firewall weaknesses

Did you know, many old firewall rules that are no longer required but have not been removed from the firewall as well as old, unmaintained firewall ports left open puts your business at significant risk?
We at JC Cyber Security ask our clients 5 questions to identify if there are any weaknesses concerning their firewall:

  1. Do you have unused rules still active?
  2. Is your firewall up-to-date and running on the latest patch?
  3. Are you using strong passwords?
  4. Who has access to your firewall?
  5. Do you have configurations still active that are no longer required?

It is critical that any of your preventative security controls are performing optimally and not putting you at risk of a cyber breach. If you believe you or your business may be vulnerable concerning your firewall, we recommend using our Free Firewall Audit.

Four simple steps to becoming proactive towards cyber security

With cyber threats continuously on the rise, businesses must consider cyber security in order to survive. 2020’s cyber security threat landscape represents a 20% rise against comparable figures from 2019. Therefore, it is crucial that businesses invest in advanced protection and management services that go far beyond a standard firewall and traditional antivirus defences.


Your business can become proactive towards cyber security in four simple steps:

  1. Speaking with a cyber expert
  2. Identifying weaknesses
  3. Creating a protection roadmap
  4. Implementing optimal protection & staying cyber secure

It is critical that any of your preventative security controls are performing optimally and not putting you at risk of a cyber breach. If you believe you or your business may be vulnerable concerning your firewall, we recommend using our Free Firewall Audit.

Don’t become the next Victim

The cost of a cyber attack or breach could be crippling for any business. Cyber criminals are evolving their business model to go far and beyond and that means we all need to be proactively protecting our cyber profile.

Sound good? The team at JC Cyber Security are always happy to help with any questions or concerns you may have, so please don’t hesitate to speak with one of our Cyber Experts to start the process of defending, protecting and securing your business today.

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