Circuit-level gateway implementation

Packet filtering: The system examines each packet entering or leaving the network and accepts or rejects it based on user-defined rules. Packet filtering is fairly effective and transparent to users, but it is difficult to configure. In addition, it is susceptible to IP spoofing.
Circuit-level gateway implementation: This process applies security mechanisms when a TCP or UDP connection is established. Once the connection has been made, packets can flow between the hosts without further checking.
Acting as a proxy server: A proxy server is a type of gateway that hides the true network address of the computer(s) connecting through it. A proxy server connects to the internet, makes the requests for pages, connections to servers, etc., and receives the data on behalf of the computer(s) behind it. The firewall capabilities lie in the fact that a proxy can be configured to allow only certain types of traffic to pass (for example, HTTP files, or web pages). A proxy server has the potential drawback of slowing network performance since it has to actively analyze and manipulate traffic passing through it.

Read more :what is a firewall and how does it work

So, what is managed firewall service?

By qualified Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), Managed Firewall is a service provided to address security threats and monitor your network traffic to understand what it looks like. You can easily identify and correct an atypical use. Security professionals who monitor your network will provide analysis and reporting as a part of the managed firewall package.

Typically, the managed firewall service includes:

Application Control – to maximize employee productivity on any device, block or rate limit applications or specific features.
Web Content Filtering – by exploiting a threat database, block access to malicious or objectionable websites that categorize websites based on their content.
As there are many managed firewall service providers, so it may be difficult to know which service is best for your business, especially if you are not familiar with the security product landscape.

This is where Pro Group Networks can help you. Based on a personalized and comprehensive assessment of your needs, our team of experts can help you determine which Managed Firewall Services are right for you. Best of all, we can help you set up, install and maintain your managed firewall service and act as a point of contact between your company and the provider.

Read more: what is a firewall and how does it work

Types of firewalls

Firewalls can either be software or hardware, though it’s best to have both. A software firewall is a program installed on each computer and regulates traffic through port numbers and applications, while a physical firewall is a piece of equipment installed between your network and gateway.



Packet-filtering firewalls, the most common type of firewall, examine packets and prohibit them from passing through if they don’t match an established security ruleset. This type of firewall checks the packet’s source and destination IP addresses. If packets match those of an “allowed” rule on the firewall, then it is trusted to enter the network.

Packet-filtering firewalls are divided into two categories: stateful and stateless. Stateless firewalls examine packets independently of one another and lack context, making them easy targets for hackers. In contrast, stateful firewalls remember information about previously passed packets and are considered much more secure.

While packet-filtering firewalls can be effective, they ultimately provide very basic protection and can be very limited—for example, they can't determine if the contents of the request that's being sent will adversely affect the application it's reaching. If a malicious request that was allowed from a trusted source address would result in, say, the deletion of a database, the firewall would have no way of knowing that. Next-generation firewalls and proxy firewalls are more equipped to detect such threats.

Next-generation firewalls (NGFW) combine traditional firewall technology with additional functionality, such as encrypted traffic inspection, intrusion prevention systems, anti-virus, and more. Most notably, it includes deep packet inspection (DPI). While basic firewalls only look at packet headers, deep packet inspection examines the data within the packet itself, enabling users to more effectively identify, categorize, or stop packets with malicious data. Learn about Forcepoint NGFW here.

Proxy firewalls filter network traffic at the application level. Unlike basic firewalls, the proxy acts an intermediary between two end systems. The client must send a request to the firewall, where it is then evaluated against a set of security rules and then permitted or blocked. Most notably, proxy firewalls monitor traffic for layer 7 protocols such as HTTP and FTP and use both stateful and deep packet inspection to detect malicious traffic.
Read More at what do firewalls monitor

Managed Firewall1

The basic building block of a sound security plan is a firewall. The firewall monitors and controls traffic between two separate networks; it acts as a barrier while utilizing specific rules to assure that only the network traffic you want reaches your systems. Rules can be used to restrict access by IP, port, protocol, or the like. A firewall is a static, basic level of security, but is a simple way to manage a large number of potential security threats by substantially reducing public access to certain systems or applications. It is a required component of most compliance standards.

But having a firewall is not enough. Without proper rules, updates, and monitoring, your firewall is not very useful. Every firewall provided by Steadfast is a managed firewall, so we can help manage your solution.

Our Juniper SRX firewalls do more than provide basic firewall functionality; they also support IPsec tunnels, which allow the setup of a secure, encrypted, point-to-point tunnel. The tunnel allows you to set up off-site systems, such as systems inside your office, to behave as if they are on the protected side of the firewall, improving ease of access for devices that are already authenticated or approved.

Read More: firewall monitoring

How does a firewall work?

A network firewall works by establishing a border between the internet and the network it guards. It is inserted inline across a network connection and inspects all packets entering the network. As it inspects, a rules engine distinguishes between traffic that is benign and traffic that is potentially dangerous.

A firewall is not capable of making judgments on its own -- no computer is. Instead, it follows the programmed rules created by humans. These rules dictate whether the firewall should let a packet through the network barrier. If a packet matches a pattern that indicates danger, the corresponding rule will instruct the firewall not to let the packet through. These rules have to be constantly updated because the criteria for what patterns indicate a dangerous packet change frequently.

Read more : what is a network firewall and how does it work