Why Firewall Management is Critical for Business Security
Firewall management is at the forefront of defence technology that helps to keep your business safe from cyber threats while you are online. With increasingly sophisticated ransomware attacks, advanced persistent threats, and other cyber vectors on the rise, businesses must pivot their firewall security to protect data and prevent potential downtime.
As remote work shapes a new standard of work-life balance, businesses need to think about their IT infrastructure and how security changes due to people using personal devices and home networks. A part of this involves the need for a more sophisticated firewall management strategy.
Having a properly managed firewall allows your business to improve its compliance with data privacy regulations and address security concerns promptly.
Table of Contents:
- Emerging Threat landscape
- Remote Work Challenges
- Regulatory Compliance
- Cloud Security Considerations
- Zero Trust Architecture
Emerging Threat Landscape:
Businesses face a lot of cyber threats that jeopardize data and daily operations. Here are some of the most prevalent threats:
Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs): Cybercriminals find a way to access endpoints and remain unnoticed for some time. APTs are becoming more complex, and hackers can use this method to gather sensitive data over time.
Ransomware: Ransomware have become extremely effective and dangerous. Every day, we see cases of double extortion and supply chain attacks that significantly impact operations, financial profits, and damage brand reputation.
Read our previous blog post on the top cybersecurity threats of 2024.
Remote Work Challenges:
The shift towards remote work enlarges the attack surface for cyber threats, making it necessary to strengthen your endpoint devices and access points.
For example, many businesses, especially those with smaller budgets, are adopting BYOD (Bring Your Own Devices) policies that come with their own set of challenges.
A strong firewall management is needed to enforce security policies across various devices. Look at Canadian Centre for Cyber Security’s Tips for Organizations with Remote Workers to learn more about the challenges that comes with remote work and how organizations effectively protect themselves from potential cyber incidents.
Regulatory Compliance
Data Privacy Regulations:
Data protection laws in Canada and across the globe are becoming increasingly more stringent and are aimed at protecting the rights of web users everywhere.
This increase in data privacy measures means that organizations must implement stronger measures to ensure compliance and meet the expectations of consumers.
Legal Liabilities:
Data breaches are not pretty. When businesses go through a data breach or do not comply with regulations, they may face tough legal battles. A protected and managed firewall is your most effective way to mitigate these risks.
Visit the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada’s article to read the summary of privacy laws in Canada and learn more about how Canada enforces privacy laws.
Cloud Security Considerations:
Cloud Migration: The need for a strong firewall is obvious when businesses connect to the cloud. Scalable and flexible firewalls will ensure that you have the protective measures you need in place as your business grows and scales.
Zero Trust Architecture:
When your business connects to various cloud-based systems, you will want your operations to use zero-trust architecture. A zero-trust approach is a security concept where you assume that every connection, integrations, users, etc. are not to be trusted until verified. Firewalls play a critical role in implementing various levels of access throughout your organization.
Check out Kaspersky’s article to read their take on Cloud security and how it works.
Implement More Robust Firewall Management Today!
It is more critical than ever to ensure that your organization manages its firewalls effectively. By putting more of an emphasis on firewall management, you will ensure a higher level of security, and meet and maintain compliance with data privacy requirements to evolve with running a remote work force and using cloud-based tools.
Visit our cybersecurity services or cybersecurity solutions pages to learn more about how you can strengthen your cybersecurity posture today.
You can also explore how IT governance can improve your current policies, procedures, and process, as well as help your people with frameworks that emphasize the security of your business.
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