Proxy Server Firewall
We can’t hide away from it, the threat landscape that organisations now face is huge, and businesses can no longer take any chances with the data and sensitive information they hold on their internal networks falling into the wrong hands.
This is where firewalls come in.
Firewalls are a great piece of software that helps to provide a barrier between your network and computer. Filtering traffic and only allowing the good to pass through, blocking what it believes to be malicious or a threat.
By controlling the flow of traffic in such a way, the SonicWall firewall allows you to monitor and have confidence that your systems are protected from cyber-attacks.
A proxy firewall then takes this level of protection one step further.
What is a proxy firewall?
Decrypting and inspecting application traffic firewall proxy servers are an advanced firewall security system that goes above and beyond to protect your network. Monitoring network traffic and running protocols against every type of application it supports, every device within your organisation must establish a connection through the proxy server to create a new, secure network connection.
Also known as an application or gateway firewall, a proxy firewall works by securing the connection between your internal network and the public internet. For example, access to the internet is gained through the proxy gateway (firewall), where the gateway will evaluate all external requests against set and predetermined security rules. Based on this information, it will then decide to allow the request or block and contain the request.
To ensure complete security, the proxy firewall server will also have its own IP address and receive data packets through proxies. It provides a single point that allows your security or IT team to assess the threat level of application protocols.
Proxy firewalls will check:
- Domain name system
- FTP
- HTTP
- Internet control message protocol
- Simple mail transfer protocol
Checking these across the application, transport, and network layer, proxy and firewall software are all designed to strengthen network security.
Proxy Firewall Server
The features of a proxy server include:
- Can reduce bandwidth demands with caching.
- Codes, filters, logs, and controls requests to secure networks and prevent unauthorised access.
- Filters all information to secure the network.
- Can integrate with other security solutions to offer enhanced security control.
- Protects against cyberattacks attempting to infiltrate the network.
- Helps to enforce security policies.
- Inspects layer traffic.
- Prevents unauthorised access to the network.
Benefits of a Firewall Proxy Server
Enhanced Security – due to validating users rather than just devices. Designed to prevent spoofing attacks and can also detect DDoS attacks.
Improved Reporting – you and your teams have the capabilities to examine the entire network and monitor data centrally. Providing you with vital security information.
Assess Threats – can proactively evaluate data packets that could negatively impact your network. As these types of firewalls use deep packet inspection, you can discover advanced threats, check network traffic validity, and put the right protocols in place to stop these attacks before they pose a risk to your business.
Control – you have a higher level of control with a Sonic firewall and firewall proxy server, as you can configure the network to users, assign groups, set permissions, and control what functions individuals can perform.
Provides a single point of access – allowing you to effectively detect threats and check network validity through centralised application activity and one single server.
Promote Policies – as well as ensure compliance, proxy firewalls can also help fine-tune network needs and policies.
Things to be aware of
Like with any new piece of software or security feature you look to integrate into your systems and network, it’s essential that you check that it is compatible.
This is extremely important for a proxy firewall, as running outdated servers will cause the proxy firewall server to run slowly, which, in turn, will negatively affect performance.
In addition, due to the new connections being added, you may experience bottlenecks in traffic flow, which again will slow down performance, creating a single point of failure. To counteract this, it’s vital to ensure that all software and systems are up-to-date and that all firewalls and security software are configured and encrypted, leaving no ports exposed.
As the firewall limits the applications a network can support, hence increasing security levels, it’s also essential to bear in mind that this can, at times, impact speed and functionality.
When choosing the best firewall solution, base your decision on what is right for your business. Think about the size of your company, the security software’s ability to scale with you, the resources you have available, and the level of protection required.
SonicWall firewall and firewall proxy servers are the most secure forms of firewall available; by filtering information at the application layer, you can have peace of mind that your network is protected 24/7.
To find out more, call us today at 0330 1340 230 or email your questions to enquiries@sonicwall-sales.com; we’d be happy to help.
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